The Aftermath of Flattery
by Fantasy's Whisper
Summary: Sequel to Kisses So Sweet and Secrets So Deep. Kel and Dom struggle to keep their friends and family safe when a certain duke is risen from the dead again. Love, Tragedy and Adventure within! Chapter 14 is Up! R
1. Hide and Seek

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the characters in this story, they have been created by Tamora Pierce. But I do own the plot, it was all my idea and if you don't like it tell me so I can fix it!

**Author's Note: I'm baaaaack! This is the sequel to Kisses So Sweet, and Secrets So Deep, so if you haven't read that one, I highly recommend that you do before you start this one. Anyways I hope you enjoy the story! **

**Warning: **This story contains a lot of fluff, and when I say a lot, I mean like room stuffed with fluff!

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The Aftermath of Flattery

**Chapter One – Hide and Seek **

"Dom, I'm going to visit Yuki" Kel kissed her husband on the cheek, "so you're in charge of Chris."

"Well I guess I have it easy," Dom laughed as he picked up his two year old daughter.

Kel laughed when she heard her husband say this. He didn't know how hard it actually was to take care of their daughter. He always got the easy jobs, Kel was the one that had the "difficult" jobs. She kissed her daughter on her head and set off to go see her friend. She usually took Chris with her, but Willow was with Neal in the infirmary, so she decided to let Dom spend the day with her.

"So what do you want to do today Chris?" Dom asked his daughter.

"Let's play hide and seek!" Chris told her father, a smile spreading across her face, "with your squad!"

Dom laughed and someone knocked on the open door. Glancing over he saw Wolset, Pascar, Fulcher and some other men of the Own. Setting Chris down he watched her run over to the men laughing.

"Do you wanna play hide and seek with me an my da?" she asked looking up at Wolset.

Grinning Wolset replied, "Of course, we'd love to Chris."

"Okay I'm it, you all have to go and hide!"

Chris walked over to the wall and put her face against it. She started counting, and had very little difficulty doing so. For a two year old she was quite intelligent. Moving away from the wall she walked around the room looking for ten or so men. It wasn't that difficult since they weren't in very good hiding places. Wolset was hiding on one side of her parents bed, Fulcher was in the dressing room. She found two men in the study underneath the table. Others were scattered around the suite in very obvious places. She walked into her own room and found her da pretending to be sleeping on her bed.

"Da! That's my bed," she cried as she jumped onto his back.

"Well I guess you're right, so who is going to be it now?" Dom asked as he carried her back to the main room where the men had gathered after being "found"

"You," she said a smile on her face, "all of you!"

"Okay, we'll be it," Wolset laughed as they all lined up on the wall.

Chris waited until they had all turned around and then ran out the open door. She liked it when she had the best hiding spot. She knew where the best ones were, and she was heading to her favourite one.

The men counted to twenty-five and turned around. They didn't think it was going to be hard to find her, sure she may be small but she was two. They didn't know how wrong they could be. At first they lazily looked around the rooms.

"Dom, where on earth did she go?" Fulcher asked confused they had looked everywhere.

"I don't know, Chris!" Dom cried, starting to panic, "Christine of Masbolle come out right now!"

Dom started to pull the room apart. His men stood there watching him in awe.

"Well don't just stand there! Help me find her."

They completely ripped the room apart. There were pillows and blankets on the ground, the furniture had been tipped over. It looked as if someone had set off a ball of blazebalm. Dom was panicking. He had lost his daughter, he was thinking of all the terrible things that could happen to her. She was two years old!

Of course no one had thought to check out in the hall, or even remember that the door had been left open. Until an hour or so later in walked Kel, with Chris giggling in her arms. Kel took one look around the room, and then to the men who were running around frantically. She couldn't help but laugh, sitting in the corner she saw Dom with his head in his hands.

"Were you looking for someone?" Kel asked as Dom looked up.

"Huh?" then he noticed that Kel was holding their daughter in her arms.

"Where did you find her! We've been looking for her all afternoon." Dom cried as he jumped and hugged his wife.

"Well, Neal came back to drop Willow off and Chris was with them. He said that she had wandered into the infirmary laughing and giggling. He was muttering something about you being an incapable father as well, and then Yuki whacked him over the head with her fan." Kel told him, as a yawn escaped her daughter.

"I think it's time for you to have a nap," Kel said looking down at her daughter.

Chris looked like Kel in almost every way, except for her eyes. Chris had Dom's eyes. Chris closed her eyes and laid her head on her mother's chest. Her parents smiled.

Kel carried her daughter back to her room and tucked her into bed. Dom kissed her forehead and the two adults slipped out of the room.

* * *

Later that evening Kel and Dom were getting ready to go to sleep. Dom was in the privy, brushing his teeth and Kel was sitting in bed thinking. It was quite late, and the two had had a very difficult time getting Chris to go to sleep. So they had stayed up late trying to get her to sleep.

"Dom?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever thought of having more children?" Kel asked curiously, she was gazing at the ceiling.

"Huh?" Dom asked surprised, Chris had been an accident, though it wasn't a mistake to have her, she just hadn't been planned.

"Never mind," Kel quickly said and rolled over onto her side, trying to sleep.

Dom was now shocked. Kel never acted like this. He climbed into bed and pulled Kel over to him. He trailed soft kisses down her face. Then he realized that her face was wet. Had she been crying?

"Kel are you crying," Dom said softly, "Is the great Protector crying?"

"No," Kel sniffled burying her face in Dom's shirt.

"Kel, it's okay, I was just surprised by what you said," Dom told her as he rubbed her back trying to comfort her, "If you want more children that's fine with me."

"Really?" Dom nodded his head to her question, she smiled.

* * *

It was a few hours before dawn, Kel and Dom were sleeping peacefully when a scream awoke them. Both adults jumped, Chris sure had the lungs to be a commander. They ran into her room to see their daughter sitting up on the bed, bawling.

"What's the matter Chrissy?" Kel said sitting down next to her daughter.

"I had a bad dream!"

Dom said down and hugged his daughter. He whispered happy thoughts into her ear and held her close. She eventually drifted back to sleep. Dom placed her back under the covers, and tucked her in. Both he and Kel kissed her forehead and quietly slipped out of the room.

"And you thought you'd make a bad father," Kel whispered to him as they crawled back into bed.

"No I didn't," Dom protested softly as they slipped back into deep sleep.

* * *

Kel woke up to a warm body against her back. Smiling she snuggle closer. The arms around her tightened and drew her closer to the body. She tipped her head up and kissed Dom on the chin. Kel was rewarded with sweet kisses from him. She rolled over so she could face him. The two got caught up in their other half. Didn't notice when Chris entered the room.

"Mama what are you and Da doing?"

Kel and Dom turned to the door, to see their daughter looking at them confused. Both adults started to laugh. Christine ran and jumped up onto the bed. Dom gave his daughter a big hug and the family laughed as Chris tried to tackle her father.

"Mama when I grow up, I wanna be just like you!" Chris cried as she sat on her Da's back holding one of his arms behind him.

"Okay Chris, but it'll take a lot of work," Kel told her daughter a smile forming on both their faces.

Chris gave her mother a big hug. She told her that she would work very hard, and make her parents proud.

"Can we go get some breakfast?" Chris asked her parents.

"Alright, but you need to get dressed first." Dom said as he climbed out of bed.

Kel watched as Chris trotted out of the room. She climbed out of bed, grabbing a pair of breeches and a shirt she quickly dressed.

"I'll go and help her dress, meet you in the mess hall," and with a kiss she left to go help her daughter put on suitable clothing.

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Although Kel and Dom could eat in the noble's mess hall, or even in the luxury of their own room. But they enjoyed seeing all of their friends in their regular mess. They weren't the only ones that chose to do so, Yuki and Neal had chosen to do the same. Willow and Chris enjoyed listening to their adoptive aunts and uncles tell them stories of their parents pasts as well.

When Kel arrived with Chris she saw Dom had already gotten them breakfast. Guiding her daughter over to the table, she lifted her up onto the bench. She settled her between herself and Dom.

"Hello there Chris, do you remember me?" asked a voice across the table from Dom.

Chris sat on her knees so she could see over the table, "Of course I remember you Uncle Raoul!"

The adults around the table laughed. They were all eating the usual breakfast, with eggs and bacon. Most of them had fruit or vegetables, Dom had made sure to pile extra fruits on the plates he had gotten for his family knowing that Kel would nag him to get up and get it if he didn't.

"Uncle Raoul tell me a story about my Mama!" Chris begged with a pleading look in her big blue eyes.

"Oh alright," Raoul laughed as he started to tell the girl about the time when he'd had her mother as his squire and she found a baby Griffin.

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Author's Note: Well I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Don't forget to review. There are many surprises to come in this story and I know you'll love them. Don't forget to review. I need some baby names, if you haven't guessed so already someone is going to end having a baby, though I won't tell you who it is. And if I hadn't mentioned it already, don't forget to review!


	2. A Twisted Surprise

**Author's Note: I'm sorry for the length between the posting and this update, but I was in Calgary all of last week and had been separated from my laptop. Anyways I'm glad that you liked the first chapter. I'm trying to carry the story from the prequel into this one. Although there is a two year difference between the end of the other and the start of this one. **

**F.Y.I – I know you're all wondering why Chris and Will can talk like they can even though they're two. Well I need them to be able to do so, so stop telling me they can't. So ha!**

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Chapter Two – A Twisted Surprise

After breakfast Kel took Chris with her to meet up with Yuki for glaive practice. Yuki of course brought Willow with her. They settled their daughters by the fence, out of the way but close enough where the two women could keep an eye on them.

"So I was talking to Neal last night after we'd put Willow to bed," Yuki told Kel as they warmed up, "I said that now that Will is older it might be a good idea if we had another child, you know what he said?"

"Another child Yuki! Are you serious we can barely handle Willow," Kel said trying to get her voice to sound like Neal's.

"Exactly!"

"Yuki, just do things your way, there's no way he can deny it." Kel laughed as she raised her eyebrows suggestively making her friend laugh.

Kel and Yuki started to spar. Both were sweating excessively. They could have gone on for hours and still neither would come out on top. The thing that put a halt to their exercise was their daughters laughter. The two women paused and turned to look at their daughters who were holding staffs in their hands and pretending to spar with one another. The two women started to laugh as well.

"Mama look me and Will can fight just like you and Aunt Yuki!" Chris squealed as Kel and Yuki approached them.

"I can see that, but those staffs are a bit big for you," Kel laughed.

"No they're not!" Will protested as she lunged forward to hit her cousin, instead the overly large staff hit the ground and caught the girl off balance causing her to tumble into the dirt.

Yuki burst into laughter as she picked up her daughter. She promptly brushed off the dirt. Willow reminded her so much of Neal, the two practically had the same personality. Both were stubborn, and neither liked to eat vegetables.

"How about I cut these staffs down to size and your mother and I tech you how to do this properly?" Kel asked her niece.

Willow and Christine nodded eagerly. They watched Kel saw the staff so they fit the right size. They listened to everything their mothers had to say. The four were having a grand time until Neal came onto the court.

"Yuki!"

"What is it this time sweetie?" Yuki asked as she looked at her husband.

"You're teaching our daughter to fight! I thought we agreed she had to be eight before you taught her, and that was only to be self defense! She only just turned two a few weeks ago!" Neal squawked in protest.

"Oh calm down Meathead," came a voice from the fence.

"That's SIR Meathead to you cousin!" Neal whipped around with a pointed finger.

"Uncle Neal you do know that when you point your finger there are three pointing back at you, right?" Chris was tugging on Neal's breeches.

Neal looked at his hand gasped. He started muttering about Dom teaching his daughter things that he shouldn't be teaching her. He stormed off of the court, glaring at Dom the entire time. Once he'd left the adults started laughing, while the toddlers were very confused.

"Ma, why did Uncle Dom call Da "Meathead"," Willow asked curiously as she sat down next to her cousin.

"Because it's his nickname sweetheart," Yuki told her daughter softly.

"Ohhhhh," Willow murmured as she got this new piece of information.

Chris ran up to her cousin giggling. She tapped her on the shoulder and yelled, you're it! The two chased each other around, frequently changing who was it. Yuki, Kel and Dom were laughing at their children.

"So why are you down here anyways Dom, you should be training," Kel asked her husband eying him suspiciously.

"Well the Own is being sent out to help gain control of the forest fires near Fief Naxen," Dom replied seriously, he wrapped Kel into a hug and kissed her forehead.

"You had better come back in one piece, no burns either," Kel whispered into his ear.

"Chris come here and say goodbye to your Da," Kel called out to her daughter.

"Where is he going?"

"He has to go and help people," Kel replied knowing that her daughter wouldn't understand forest fires.

Chris ran up to her father and gave him a big hug. The two were a perfect picture, it made Kel smile when she looked at them. Dom swung his daughter around watching her face full of excitement. He set her down and tousled her hair. He kissed the top of her head, and turned back to Kel. He hugged her once again and kissed her deeply.

"Dom! C'mon we're supposed to be saddling the horses and riding out!"

Dom pulled away from Kel, but she pulled him back. Bringing him close and whispered into his ear, "You had better come back."

When Kel released him, Dom gave her a big grin. He pecked her on her lips and ran to catch up with the rest of the Own.

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Days went by as usual. Kel and Chris met Yuki and Will down at the practice courts early in the morning. Avoiding Neal's rants of teaching them how to use weapons, knowing all too well he wouldn't wake at the crack of dawn to object. Neal never figured out what his wife and best friend were doing in the early hours of the morning due to his dislike of getting up earlier than the sun.

It had been a few weeks after Dom had left and Kel was by herself in the practice courts doing a complex pattern dance when a wave nausea washed over her. She slowed, but did not drop her weapon. She rushed behind the weapons shed and she heaved up the contents that had been in her stomach and wiped her mouth. Making sure to cover her mess, she quickly walked up the hill towards her rooms.

"This can't be possible," she murmured as she trudged through the hallways.

Kel wasn't paying attention to where she was walking and bumped into something solid. Raising her eyes that had been on the floor she looked into the unmistakable emerald green ones of Neal.

"What's this?" Neal asked as he reached towards her chin and wiped something off.

"Oh, uh, nothing," Kel said quickly slipping her mask into place.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me," Neal replied smugly, "to me it looks like you threw up."

"Well I didn't," Kel snapped as she tried to walk around her friend.

"Does Dom know?"

Kel looked up at her tall friend and sighed, "He left before I found out."

Kel wanted to cry, she thought that maybe she'd just had a little bit of the stomach flu. Now that everything seemed to add up, Kel was pregnant again. She was happy, and yet sad. She'd wanted Dom to be the first one to find out, but Neal was probably the closest thing to him at the moment.

"Let's go to the infirmary and I'll get you some special tea for the nausea," Neal told her, he swung an arm over her shoulder and led her towards the infirmary.

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Dom was sitting by the campfire when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Looking up he saw Raoul.

"Copper for your thoughts?"

Dom sighed, "I just have this feeling I should be with Kel right now, like something important is happening that I should know."

"Well maybe this will help you figure out what is going on," the large man replied handing over a letter.

Dom took the letter and unfolded it. He glanced over it and his eyes lit up.

_Dearest Dom,_

_I hope you're all doing well, and I know that you aren't to close to the fires but I still wish you'd be careful. I know you're wondering why I've sent a letter to you when you should be back within a few weeks but this is a matter of importance I need to tell you. Raoul if you are reading this over my husband's shoulder I ask you not to spread the word until you've all returned from your mission. Okay well you know how before you left a couple weeks ago we were discussing about having more children, well I hope you wanted another, because I'm pregnant again. You know that this mean you must return to Corus in one piece, because I'm not raising another child on my own. Chris says hi, and she misses you but she's having a lot of fun learning staff fighting. _

_Love you much,_

_Kel_

_P.S. You had better come back before I grow another watermelon._

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Author's Note: Okay now you all know why I asked for baby names, and you all know what gender it'll be. But only if you payed attention in the prequel. I still need some names though, I haven't found the perfect name for this addition to the Masbolle family though yet. _Don't forget to review!_


	3. When You Play With Fire, You Get Burned

**Author's Note: Okay guys, I'm pretty sure that I bolded, underlined and itlaisized REVIEW, and yet I only got four reviews! Well maybe I won't continue this story if none of like it hmmm, maybe I this will be the last chapter. Depending on how many reviews I receive on this chapter will determine whether or not I continue so you had all better review!**

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Chapter Three –When You Play With Fire, You Get Burned

"Raoul! Raoul, I'm going to be a father!" Dom cried out in joy, any doubt that he'd had moments ago was now over come by excitement.

"Dom I hate to break it to you, but you've been a father for the past two years," Raoul replied grinning at his sergeant.

"You know what I mean," Dom muttered dryly.

Raoul laughed and patted Dom's back in congratulations. Dom placed the letter in his pocket and retired to his tent. Raoul smiled as he watched the young man leave, he too retired to his tent.

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A month after Kel had sent her letter to Dom she woke up to a knock on the door. It was quite late at night, and she'd been in a nice deep sleep. Pulling on a dressing robe she jerked the door open to see Neal standing there drenched in sweat.

"Now what brings you here at such an hour?"

"You need to come quick," Neal panted as he dragged her from the room.

Kel quickly shut the door. She was glad that Chris was spending the week with her parents at their townhouse in the city. Kel had no idea where Neal was taking her, and her head was still a little fuzzy with sleep. They seemed to be headed towards the infirmary but she wasn't sure.

"Neal where are you taking me?" she asked letting a yawn escape.

Neal chose to ignore her, he didn't have time to explain to Kel what was going on. He needed to get her to the infirmary as fast as possible. They were getting closer, but they still weren't there yet. Images flashed in his mind's eye, he grimaced as he picked up the pace.

**Flashback**

_Neal opened the door to a terrified novice, she told him that he was needed in the infirmary. He thanked her and quickly pulled on a pair of breeches and a shirt. He jogged to the infirmary, muttering curses. When he got to the infirmary, his breath came up short, he thought his heart skipped a beat. There were so many people in there. He saw Alanna off to one corner, healing Raoul who was sitting in a chair._

"_Alanna, what is going on here?" Neal asked making his way over to the two knights._

_Alanna turned around to her former squire, tears brimming her eyes, "Third Company had a little bit of trouble on their mission."_

"_Neal there's something you need to see," Raoul told the younger man._

_Raoul stood and led Neal to the end of the row of beds. He pointed to the very last bed. Neal looked at the man in the bed, and rushed to its side. _

_Neal looked around the room, many others had had such a fate. Tears started to fill his eyes, how could something this horrible happen?_

"_Has anyone told Kel yet?" Neal asked, no one answered him so he asked again yelling this time , he was furious now "Has anyone told Kel?!"_

_Both Raoul and Alanna shook their heads. Neal swore loudly and ran from the room. _

**Flashback Ends**

Neal found himself standing outside the door to the infirmary. He turned to Kel who seemed to more awake now.

"Kel I need you to keep calm alright," Neal told her sternly.

"Um, okay Neal," Kel said hesitantly as Neal led her into the room.

When Kel entered the room, she felt a rush of heat. Looking around she noticed all the men, many of them were burned. Realization hit her, one of them could be Dom. She searched the faces, tears streaming down her face. Neal was calling after her, but she ignored him, she needed to find Dom.

"Dom," Kel cried out as she searched the face of every person in the room, "Dom!"

She came to the last bed, and there he lay. His arms and torso were bandaged, his face had shallow cuts and scratches in it. It looked like his face had had a minor burn at some point. She collapsed beside him, tears flooding from her eyes. Someone picked her up and held her. She let all the tears run free, it had been such a long time since she'd cried. They had stayed bottled up for too long, now the cap had been popped off.

Neal held Kel close, letting her cry. Tears slipped from his own eyes, though he tried to hold them back, they escaped anyway. He knew that bringing her would make her cry, but she was bound to find out and at least this way it was someone who would give her a shoulder to cry on.

The two stood there for hours, but time didn't matter anymore. When Kel finally pulled away, her eyes were red and puffy and her face was tear stained. Looking back at her husband she touched one of his bandaged hands. Everything around her dissolved as a scene appeared in front of her.

Dom's squad was in a clearing, and orange light was climbing the hill to one side. They were trying to flee when a burning tree cut them off. A river lay not far away, close enough for the men to run too, but not far enough to withstand the heat of the blaze.

"Head to the river, and make sure you drench yourself!" Dom hollered over the roar of the fire.

The men started to run, Dom took up the rear, making sure every man in his squad got to the river. It was shallow, yet deep enough for the squad to become thoroughly wet. Within minutes the blaze was upon them. Trees started to crash to the ground as the men tried flee. The stuck to the river, as they tried to escape.

"Make sure you stay soaked, it will help prevent you from getting burned!" Dom yelled as they crept down the river.

The sound of rushing water came to the ears of the men. A yell came from up ahead.

"Sergeant! The rapids!"

Dom looked behind them, the fire was growing higher, it was face the rapids or the fire.

"Keep moving forward!" Dom replied to the men and urged them all forward.

The sound of water grew louder as they grew closer to the rapids. The current tugged at their feet, and pulled them into the rapids. Dom was sucked under and pulled down through the rapids. Rocks cut at his face. He clawed his way to the surface and managed to take a gasp of air before being dragged under again. He was thrown into a rock, knocking the air out of his lungs.

When he resurfaced once more, the water was calm and the fire was no where in sight. Wolset was nearby, another man was on the shore gasping for air. No one else seemed to be in sight.

"Start heading back to camp, it's got to be around he somewhere," Dom told the other two.

"What about the others?"

"If they've survived they'll come back to camp, they always do," Dom told them climbing out of the water and staggering away.

"Dom watch out!"

Dom looked up to see a tree falling towards him, fire blazing at it's top.

Everything went black, and then the room returned. Kel blinked and looked at Dom, new tears formed in her eyes as she thought of the ordeal he went through. She sat down on the edge of the bed as she blinked away tears. She wondered if he'd ever awaken from the slumber he was in, and if he'd ever be all right.

She moved lower, he mouth was by his ear, "I love you Dom!"

Then sleep swept over her. She rested her head on his chest. Sleep devoured her, she didn't notice when a bandaged arm wrapped around her.

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Author's Note: Okay I know that it wasn't an especially long chapter, but I don't think I should continue since this is the perfect ending to the chapter. I want a minimum of ten reviews to post the next chapter, yes I said TEN. I still need baby names, nothing that starts with a C though. Remember to review!!


	4. Bedridden and Dreams

**Author's Note: As I promised, when I got ten reviews I would post this chapter and I have. I want you to think about baby names, particularly boy names. I didn't say the baby is going to be a boy, I said that the baby will just have a boy's name. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Don't forget to review at the end of this chapter. **

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Chapter Four – Bedridden and Dreams

When Kel awoke she wasn't next to Dom. Someone had moved her to a separate bed, which was more of a cot set up next to Dom's bed. Sitting up and looking around, she noticed the sunlight streaming through the window. She noticed the novices and healers who were tending to the men, but she didn't see Neal or Alanna or even Raoul.

"Kel?" a familiar yet faint voice said from the bed next to her.

"Dom," Kel whispered as she scrambled off the cot, "Dom are you all right?"

"Water."

Kel grabbed a cup and the water pitcher. She held it to his lips, noticing how he trembled. Dom didn't even open his eyes, he knew his Kel would take care of him.

"Kel, Kel I'm sorry," Dom whispered when she set the cup down on the bedside table.

"For what?" Kel asked softly as she brushed strands of hair from his face.

"I promised you I wouldn't get hurt, and here I am, burnt to a crisp," Dom replied trying to let a weak laugh out but winced when he did so.

"Shh, just rest. Everything will be okay," Kel murmured as he drifted back to sleep.

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Kel was sitting in a chair as she watched Dom sleep. He didn't make a sound, with the exception of his deep breathing. It was so quiet, but not in a bad way. It was a content quiet, one where you'd sigh and feel calm and relaxed. But it wouldn't stay quiet for long, Kel could hear the soft padding of running feet in the hall. She walked to the door and stuck her head out, something ran past her nearly knocking her over.

"Da?"

"Christine of Masbolle get back here!"

Raoul ran in, followed closely by Kel's parents and Neal. Kel was not appeased by this, she hadn't wanted Chris to see her father in such state. Looking for her daughter she noticed that she'd found Dom's bed and was trying to see over it's edge.

"Da wake up!" she cried as she scrambled onto the chair and stood up to see her father.

Kel shed a tear as she watched her daughter try and wake up Dom. Quietly walking up behind her daughter she lifted her up and try to carry her out much to the toddler's protest. Chris did not want to agree with her mother, something inside of her snapped. She released a flash of silver light. Kel fell backwards onto a bed, and Chris scrambled from her mother's arms and ran back to her father.

"Da wake up!" she screamed and reached her hands towards his arm.

Silver light flooded across both bodies. Chris was crying and started to sway on her feet. She collapsed next to the bed and Dom awoke. He had no idea of what was going on, but was brought to reality by Kel's scream.

"Chris! Chris get up!"

Dom slipped out of the bed and picked up his two year old daughter. He placed her in the bed as the other three adults ran to the bed. Neal placed a green hand over his niece, quickly pulling it back in.

"I've never felt anything like this before," Neal said confused, moving his hand over Chris's body, "Has this ever happened before?"

Dom shook his head but Kel stopped him. Turning to she replied, "There is one other time, a while ago before she was even born."

"You all have to leave," she told them, "Neal has managed to set the keep on fire."

_Without another word everyone went into action. Raoul and Dom lifted Kel up, and Alanna grabbed some things from the dresser, the men of the Own went to make sure that the path was clear. Raoul and Dom were moving as fast as they could with a severely pregnant woman, and Alanna took up the rear. An audible crack sounded and a wall of fire formed in front Alanna, Dom, Kel and Raoul cutting them off from the rest of the group. Alanna tried to cut a path through the fire, but the fire just absorbed all of her magic._

"_Alanna what's the matter!" Raoul yelled over the roar of the fire._

"_I don't know, everything I try is just absorbed!"_

_A maniacal laugh came from flames. The hair on the back of Alanna's neck prickled, and goosebumps rose on her arms. She knew that laugh, she was sure that it was gone. The colour drained from her face and she shut her eyes as tight as possible._

"_You thought you could get rid of me didn't you 'Alan'" _

"_Alanna it can't be," Raoul muttered as memories flowed back into his mind._

"_Oh but it is," a shadow formed in the fire and it came towards them._

_Roger of Conte walked towards Alanna. He raised a hand and she fell to the ground. Raoul yelled in fury, he couldn't do anything because he was holding Kel. Roger turned his head to the trio and laughed. He raised his hand again, and orange fire zoomed towards Kel. She slipped form the men's grip and fell to the floor. Dom let out a yell. He fell to the floor next to Kel, and pulled her into his arms. _

"_Who are you!" Dom cried out as Roger moved closer._

"_You mean you don't know who I am?"_

"_Why would they know who you are! You were dead long before their time!" a weak voice yelled, Raoul had gone to Alanna when Kel and Dom had fallen. _

"_Quiet you!" with that Roger sent another firebolt towards Alanna, but before it could hit her a silvery shield was up in front of her and Raoul._

_Roger looked taken aback. This was impossible, Alanna had a purple gift and she was the only one in the room with it. He whirled around to see silvery light shimmering around Kel's stomach. The light started to stretch towards him, he was enclosed in a bubble. Letting out an agonized shriek he disintegrated. The four adults were in shock, but the roar of the fire brought them back to reality._

"She's a chosen then," Alanna said from the edge of the bed as she looked over the toddler.

"Huh?" Neal and Dom said simultaneously, with similar confused looks on their faces.

"It means that a god – or goddess – has their hand on her. There is something that they want her to do, so they put their hand on her and guide her along a path," Alanna told the three young adults, "I was the Goddess' Chosen, my job was to get rid of Duke Roger."

"I was the chosen of the Chamber of Ordeal, my task was to destroy Blayce and Stenmun," Kel whispered.

"Don't you find it odd, that all of the great women of this country are Chosens?" Neal asked dramatically, causing eye rolls from both Alanna and Kel.

"Will Chris be all right?" Dom asked concerned of the new information he had just be given about his daughter.

"She'll be fine yes, but she'll need to be trained," Alanna replied as she rested a hand on the girl's forehead, "this kind of power isn't given to someone without a good reason, yes she is definitely going to need training."

"Will you train her Alanna?" Kel asked softly without even looking up, if her daughter had such great power, she could be dangerous without control and Alanna knew what she was doing, "Please?"

Alanna bowed her head in submission, "Of course Kel."

* * *

Kel lay awake in bed that night. Even though Dom was beside her this time, she couldn't help but remember that her only child was lying in an infirmary bed. Sighing she silently slipped out of bed and quickly threw a robe on on over her nightgown.

She shut the door behind her as quiet as possible. It was late at night and it would do no good if she woke up the other knights that lived in the hall. Especially Neal, he needed all the beauty sleep he could get. Kel couldn't help but wonder what kind of quest had been set for her daughter. She found herself at the door to the infirmary, quietly opening it she found she wasn't the only visiting that night.

A short red-headed figure stood by her daughter. She knew exactly who it was, silently she walked up to stand beside the other lady knight.

"Thank you, for what you did earlier," Kel murmured softly, as if not to wake the child.

"Kel I didn't do anything special, only what had to be done."

"When will you start to train her?"

"After Midwinter, she is going to need the rest after what she did earlier today," Alanna said turning to Kel.

"Why so late, doesn't it make sense to start sooner so she gains control?" Kel asked unsure of Alanna's thinking.

"Kel, have you forgotten that Midwinter is only two and a half weeks away," Alanna laughed as she saw the expression on the woman's face.

Kel let out an "Oh" as she turned back to her daughter. Chris looked ever so peaceful, but what Kel didn't know what was going through her daughter's mind at that moment. Although Chris was only two years old, she was much wiser than that. It could be because she was Kel's daughter, or that the Goddess had her hand on the child but it still made her wise.

Chris was in the middle of a conversation with the Great Mother Goddess.

"_I don't understand?"_

_You will my child, you will. When the time comes, everything will become much clearer to you._

"_When will that be?"_

_So many questions from such a young thing, and with such intelligence said behind them. _The Goddess laughed at the girl. _I assure you child when the time comes you will know. But right now you must focus on your training, my previous Chosen is too be the one to teach so be sure to listen to everything she says, for she has also been sent on a quest that is much like the one you will be on._

The Goddess faded into mist leaving Chris confused and clueless.

"Mama?"

"Christine, are you awake," Kel asked as she swooped in closer, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Mama, why is the Goddess so confusing?"

Alanna let out a bark of laughter and replied to the youngster, "Because she can Chris, because she can."

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Author's Note: Well I hope you liked this chapter. Don't forget to review, I want fifteen reviews this time sine that's how many I got last time. And if I don't get fifteen, there will be no chapter five so it all rests upon your shoulders!


	5. Making Deals with a Duke

**Author's Note: Sorry that it's taken so long for me to update, but I've been having severe writers block. So if this chapter sucks don't blame me, blame the stupid writers block. I thank the nine people who reviewed the last chapter, everyone who didn't I don't like you very much. Now on to chapter five!**

**Chapter Five – Making Deals with a Duke**

All the adults that had been in the infirmary the night Chris healed Dom kept a close watch on the girl. Even though Midwinter was a few days away and Chris would began her training at the end of it all, Kel still worried about her daughter. Though Chris wasn't the only one she was worried about, Neal and Yuki were having problems some that Kel knew they'd have problems fixing.

Things had gotten rough for the couple, especially the night before the festivities began. Neal had showed up at Kel and Dom's room his eyes full of tears. The sight was quite frightening.

"She's gone," Neal whispered as a silent tear slid down his cheek, "she went home."

"Who went home Neal?" Kel asked worry flooding her, she had an idea of who it was she just didn't want to be right.

"Yuki left, she said she couldn't take me selfishness!" he wailed as he slumped to the floor, "she took Willow and said she was going home until I could stop the streak I was on!"

"Home? You mean she went to Queenscove?" Dom asked, he didn't know what Neal meant by home.

Of course Neal didn't answer he was to busy bawling on the floor to respond. Instead Kel pulled Dom away, to the other side of the room.

"Dom, Yuki went back to the Isles."

"And I have to go after her, I'll take Chris with me," she whispered to her husband.

"But what will I do while you're away?" Dom asked, letting his emotion into his voice, he wasn't to keen on letting Kel take their daughter across the ocean at the age of two.

"Raoul's going to need your help to rebuild Third Company, that should give you plenty of work to do while we're away." She replied, "anyways we'll be back by the end of spring, I promise."

Kel kissed Dom on the cheek, "Now go fix Neal."

She quietly slipped back into the bedroom, she was planning on leaving to catch up to Yuki as soon as possible. Dom let out a sigh as returned to the door where his cousin was still bawling. Doing his best to comfort him. Finally Neal calmed down enough for Dom to lead him over to the sofa. Softly telling him that he and Kel would solve everything Neal drifted off to sleep.

2

Kel woke at her usual time the next morning, the crack of dawn. But instead of doing her usual pattern dance she started to pack. When Chris came into her room looking for her.

"Mama why are you packing?"

"Because," Kel said picking up the young child, "You and I are going to the Yamani Isles to see Aunt Yuki and Willow."

"Oh, why isn't Da packing then?"

"Because he isn't going to be coming with us, he has some work he has to do."

It didn't take long for the two to pack the bags. Kel left a note on the desk and they quietly slipped from the room. Chris was on Kel's back, and Kel was carrying their two bags. When they arrived at the stables Kel spotted a flaw in her plan. She didn't know how they were going to get to Port Caynn without being able to send the horses home.

"Need some help Lady Kel?"

Kel turned around to find Tobe standing in the doorway. She hadn't seen much of him since they'd returned to Corus after the war. He'd decided he wanted to work under Stefan's wing. He was about fifteen now, and almost as tall as Kel was.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do."

"Are you going after Lady Yuki?" Tobe asked and waited for Kel's answer, which was a small nod of the head, "Well when she left she took a palace horse and when she was to arrive in Port Caynn she took it to George Cooper's house there."

"Thank you very much Tobe," Kel said with a grin as she left to go find both a horse and a packhorse.

2

The sun was starting to rise, and Kel was standing on the rise looking over the sleeping city of Corus. Chris was standing beside her, holding her hand. Kel picked up her daughter and walked back over to the horses. Lifting Chris up onto the saddle, she swung herself up behind her daughter. Kel wrapped one arm around Chris' waist and set off for Port Caynn.

The road and surrounding brush was eerily quiet. It was too quiet for Kel, and she felt like hitting herself in the head for not bringing the sparrows. They were excellent scouts, but they did no good if they didn't come with her. A rustle in the brush caused her to move her hand to the sword hilt that wasn't there. Mentally kicking herself again, she nudged the horse into a trot. Fog started to surround the road and Chris started to cry.

"Mama I'm scared."

"It's okay Chris, nothing going to happen," Kel reassured her daughter and tried to mentally reassure herself.

Crows cawed and flew over their heads. Chris, now more frightened than ever, buried her head into her mother's tunic. Tears were slipping down her face.

Kel looked ahead and saw a shadow. A shadow that was glowing orange. She muttered a curse as she tried to turn the horse around, but the horse wouldn't turn and the packhorse's eyes were white with terror.

"So nice of you to join me and your friend," said a sly voice that sent shivers up Kel's back.

"What do you mean my friend?" Kel asked keeping her voice even and her face like stone.

The fog vanished in a flash and there stood the only thing that scared the Lioness, Duke Roger of Conte. He flashed a toothy grin and motioned to a heap at the side of the road. Movement caught her eye and she saw the almond shaped eyes looking at her.

"Yuki?" Kel said, but it came out as a soft whisper that not even Chris could hear.

"Now you can save your friend or I could let you return to the palace unharmed."

"But what about Willow?" Kel asked in a shaky voice.

"Willow? What are you talking about woman, why would you want to save a tree?" the duke let a bark of laughter.

Kel looked at Yuki confused. Neal had said she'd taken Willow with her, if she wasn't with Yuki where was she?

"Well there aren't any Willow trees around here are there?" Kel asked, though the question was more directed at Yuki than at Roger.

"Yes, there is one back by the Olorun." Yuki said roughly.

"Quiet you!" with a blast of orange light Yuki slumped back down to the ground.

"Yuki!" Kel cried out but dared not to run to her friend.

"Kel go back to the palace, take Willow with you," Yuki cried in Yamani letting her be shocked with yet another blast of orange fire, "then when the girls are safe come and find me!"

"I said enough!" Roger yelled sending a final blast at the woman, he then turned to Kel, "So what will it be, will you let your friend stay with me or will you take her place?"

Kel thought, she could as Yuki had told her or she could send her back to the palace to get treatment. Thinking fast she made a decision.

"Chris I'm going to leave you, but Aunt Yuki is going to go home with you, and when she gets on the horse I need you to do what you did to Da the other day," Kel whispered to her daughter before dismounting and walking to where Yuki was slumped.

Kel picked up her friend's small body and carried her back to the horse. Lifting her into the saddle she sent the horse back the way it came, a small silvery light glowing from the front.

"Now what do you want with me?" Kel asked nonchalantly as she peered into the duke's icy eyes.

"Come with me Protector of the Small."

**Author's Note: Oops, I left you all at a cliffhanger. Well the faster you review, the faster the next chapter is up. If you don't know how to review, that little button in the left hand corner of your screen is how you do it. I want ten reviews since you all failed to give me what I wanted last time.**


	6. Saving Kel

**Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews guys, I'm glad you all liked the last chapter. I apologize for the long wait, I've been really busy lately with school starting soon and camp. Yes I know that the last one was short so I'm going to make this one longer. **

**Chapter Six – Saving Kel**

Hot tears streamed down her face as the whip flew down on her back for the tenth time in the past five minutes.

"I'll ask you again, who is the chosen one?" a deep male voice yelled ferociously at her.

Kel kept her lips together, she wasn't going to let anything escape. She'd keep all the information she knew until she died. It was her life, or that of her daughter's and she wasn't going to let her young daughter die because she had told this moron that she was the one who was to defeat him.

* * *

Neal was sparring in the practice courts with Dom. It was their tenth bout, and yet he still couldn't forget his beautiful Yamani Blossom and daughter. Dom dumped him on his butt again.

"Neal focus!"

"I'm trying I jus-" Neal stopped mid sentence as he saw a woman in tattered clothing carrying two children in her towards them.

Neal dropped his practice sword and ran past Dom. He had tears streaming down his face. Wrapping his arms around his wife muttering apologies between sobs. Yuki was in tears as well, though hers was for a different reason. Dom walked closer to the couple and saw his own daughter coming towards him, tears sliding down her face. He picked up his pace and ran to her.

"Honey what's the matter?" Dom asked picking his child, Chris in turn just shook her head.

"Dom it's all my fault!" Yuki wailed, muttering things about if she hadn't ran away Kel wouldn't be in this mess.

"Yuki what happened to Kel?" Dom asked trying to remain calm and not scare the two children.

"Duke Roger has her," Yuki wailed, bursting into tears on Neal's shoulder.

Dom had tears forming in his eyes, he set Chris down and starting walking towards the palace. The one and only person he had ever truly loved could possibly be dying now. He ignored the calls from his cousin and kept moving towards the palace. There was one person he knew he could count on to help him, and that person had defeated the Duke twice already.

* * *

"Uncle Neal where is Da going?" Chris sniffed as her uncle picked her up.

"He is going to go find your Mama, and bring her home," Neal tried to keep his voice even as he thought about what could be happening to his best friend at that moment. It probably didn't help that he knew she was pregnant again either.

* * *

Kel hadn't cried out a single time while she being whipped. But now that she was alone in a cold, damp dungeon she let silent tears glide down her face. She had curled herself around her stomach, as if it would protect the child within. She thought of Dom and Chris and Neal and Yuki and Willow, she was letting herself be tortured so that they would stay safe.

All Kel could think of was the searing pain on her back. She tried to busy herself with thinking of names for the baby in her, but she was always getting side tracked. What if the baby died before a healer could help her, or Roger decided he'd kill her by starvation, or drowned her.

Kel couldn't hold the tears back any longer, she started bawling. It had been such a long time since she'd had a good cry. She didn't even care that Roger could probably hear her right now, she let the tears come down her face until she was all dried out.

* * *

Dom pounded on the door to Raoul's suite. Alanna hadn't been anywhere he'd looked so now he was enlisting his commander's assistance.

"Raoul! I need your help finding Alanna," Dom yelled as the door promptly swung open.

Standing in front of him was a short red headed knight. Exactly the person he'd been looking for. Alanna raised her eyebrow questioningly at the sergeant.

"I believe you're looking for me," she grinned up at him as she motioned for him to join her, Raoul and Buri.

"Not now, we have to save Kel," Dom said urgently as Alanna turned swiftly back to him.

"What do you mean save," she asked cautiously.

"Roger captured her when she left to find Yuki-" but before Dom could finish his sentence Alanna had sprinted from the room.

Raoul's knuckles were white and Buri had gone rigid. Both were remembering the day that Roger had tried to take over Corus.

_Jonathon was brilliant with the crown's silver glow, his own magic showing through as threads of sparkling blue._

"_Jonathon!" Alanna yelled as the earth moaned and shook._

_In the Hall, chaos reigned. From the vaulted ceiling mortar dust and chips of stone fell,an ominous hint of destruction that could occur. People screamed in fear as the ground rolled underfoot like a ship at sea._

Raoul pushed the memory away and glanced at his wife. Dom looked very impatient and Buri shuddered as she too let the memory slip away.

"Well what are we waiting for!" Dom cried running from the room with Raoul and Buri hot on his heels.

* * *

Chris didn't know what was going on. First her ma had told her she had to be strong and help heal Yuki, then her da ran up a hill in near tears. She just didn't understand why adults did such crazy things.

"Auntie Yuki what is going on?" Chris asked looking up at the woman who was holding her.

"Nothing hun, your da just has to go do something very important," Yuki told the child as she and Neal carried the two girls to their own rooms.

* * *

Kel sat in the dark corner, trying very hard to abolish the pain that had fallen over her body. The room she was in smelt like old blood and it wreaked of death. Although she'd gotten used to the smell, it made her feel very uncomfortable. It had felt like days since Roger had tortured her, and yet it had only been a few hours. She heard footsteps coming closer to the door. Kel tried to make herself look scarce in the large, dark room.

"So you ready to tell me all?" said a masculine voice as the door to the cell creaked open.

Kel remained quiet hoping that he would get the picture and leave. But apparently he didn't, Roger crept closer to her an evil grin plastered across his face.

"Come now, don't be so cold," he whispered pulling her to her feet, "If you just tell what I wish to know I'll let you go."

Roger had thought flash through his mind. The way the light was shining made this woman's figure look amazing, she had all the right curves and wasn't fat like many women he'd seen. Without thinking he crashed his lips into hers and pushed her up against the wall.

Kel tried to push the man off of her, but he was to big and she was too weak. His hands started roam and Kel gasped letting his tongue slide into her mouth. Her brain finally caught on, she bit down hard on his tongue. Roger stumbled back cursing.

"You little wench! Don't expect to be leaving alive!"

He threw his fist at her face making contact with one of Kel's eyes. She cried out in pain covering her eye. He threw another punch this time it connected to her jaw. Roger laughed and hooked his leg behind her knees, she tripped backwards into the wall. Kel's head hit the wall and the impact knocked her unconscious. She slumped to the floor as Roger laughed maniacly.

* * *

Alanna was galloping down the road, the entire Third Company, Raoul, Buri and Dom behind her. They rounded a bend and came to a fork in the road. She called the company to halt.

"Which way?" Dom said hastily, he was eager to find his wife.

"Alanna?" Raoul asked looking at his friend.

"Would you both be quiet, I'm trying to think!" Alanna snapped at the two men.

Alanna went deep into her body until she found a pool of amethyst light. She threaded it around her hands and brought them up to her head. Putting her middle fingers to her temples she tried to contact the Goddess.

Mother are you there?

_Yes my daughter, what do you seek?_

I seek the Duke Roger of Conte, the one that has captured Lady Knight Keladry.

_I know who and why you seek, but **what** do you seek?_

I seek peace of the realms and the destruction of Roger.

_This will happen only when the Chosen joins together with her enemy and finds her true love, will the evil one fall and peace be returned to the Eastern Lands._

But I need to find Kel now, if you didn't know already she happens to be pregnant.

_Follow your instincts my daughter and she will be found._

Alanna looked at her companions, then to the two paths that could be chosen. She remembered when she and Thom had left Trebond at the age of ten, he had taken the left road to the City of the Gods and she'd taken the right, to the Palace.

"We go right," she whispered kicking Darkmoon into a gallop.

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Author's Note: Well I hope you liked this chapter, and once again I apologize for the long wait. I hope to post chapter seven by next Saturday, but it will only happen if I get ten reviews, so review so you find out what happens when the find Kel.


	7. Saving Kel Pt 2

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm glad you're all liking the story! I was thinking about a chapter that I'm going to be putting in the final story of this trilogy. Well anyways here is chapter seven! FYI – I apologize for the language in this chapter. **

**P.S. I'm sorry but this chapter is extremely short, but you'll understand why.**

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Chapter Seven – Saving Kel Pt. 2

"_We go right," she whispered kicking Darkmoon into a gallop. _

"Kel? Kel are you there?" Dom called out when they reached a rundown shack.

No answer came but a strange feeling came over Dom. He looked at Alanna and noticed she was having a reaction as well. The two of them took a few steps closer towards the shack, closely followed by Raoul and Neal. A wall of orange fire sprung up behind them.

"That bastard!" Alanna yelled when she turned to look at the frightened company on the other side of the wall.

"Calm down Alanna, at least we know that she is here." Raoul tried to calm his small friend.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?! **CALM DOWN?!**" Alanna yelled fiercely.

The three men shrunk away from the small bomb that was exploding. It was like the forty some years of fear and anger that had been bottled up was finally coming out.

"**WHEN I KILLED HIM THE FIRST HE SHOULD HAVE STAYED DEAD! WHEN THOM BROUGHT HIM BACK TO LIFE, I WAS ANGRY! NOW HE HAS BEEN RAISED FORM THE GROUND A THIRD TIME AND I AM FURIOUS!!**"

Alanna started to hurl things with magic, a power she hadn't used in a long, long time. She managed to rip the door off of it's rusty hinges and hurled it right through the the orange flames. The soldiers on the other side attempted to dodged the flying object their eyes full of terror. But when the door hit the flames, it simply disintegrated. This just made Alanna screamed in agitation.

"Alanna how did you defeat him the last time?" "Dom asked from where he stood still slightly terrified of her.

"I followed his magic to him and then...Dom you're a genius!" she cried grasping at the purple gem hanging around her neck.

She started walking around to the other side of the shed. The three men followed her a little bit scared of what they would find. Alanna was trying to push a slab of rock sideways, though she was having no such luck.

"Alanna stop there's something written on it," Neal said slowly as he strode over to the rock and looked at the writing.

It read:

_Flesyth evom nac dennosirpmi eht fo evol eurt eht ylno._

"Neal, you realize that makes no sense at all right?" Dom muttered from his spot next to Raoul.

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Author's Note: Ya I know way short right, well I just wanted to update to get back into this story. I'm so sorry that I've taken so long, but I started high school, and then swimming and I recently started reading the Twilight series. The faster you figure out what the rock says the sooner you will find out what happens, or 10 reviews, either way you'll get to read the next bit.


	8. Saving Kel Pt 3

**Author's Note: Okay well I'm a little bit ticked off at the moment, not at any of you, but at my demented laptop which wiped itself out, so all of my fanfic stuff and pictures and important school things are GONE! Oh and by the way, thanks for all of the reviews and you're all very smart individuals. Ya well this chapter may suck because of my anger so bear with me for the moment.**

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Chapter Seven – Saving Kel (Why are they still saving her, shouldn't this be done already?)

"Alanna stop there's something written on it," Neal said slowly as he strode over to the rock and looked at the writing.

It read:

Flesyth evom nac dennosirpmi eht fo evol eurt eht ylno.

"Neal, you realize that makes no sense at all right?" Dom muttered from his spot next to Raoul.

"It's a riddle genius!" Neal snapped at his cousin as he tried to figure out what the stone said.

Alanna rolled her eyes as she watched Neal and Dom bicker with each other. Raoul was concentrating on the rock and she knew he was trying to figure out what it said. His eyes flashed with excitement as he figured out what it said.

"Hey Dom come here and push it please," Raoul asked with a smug looking grin on his face.

Dom merely shrugged his shoulders and gave the rock and a good hard shove. A large audible crack sounded and the rock slid away, leaving and opening and a pair of rickety stairs leading downwards. Neal guffawed at Raoul, he'd wanted to be the one who'd figured it out.

"Who's going to go first?" Neal asked as they all looked down the hole.

"I'll go first, in case Roger happens to be waiting for us at the bottom." Alanna murmured bringing amethyst fire to her hands.

Dom entered after her as quickly as she'd allow him too, he was eager to find his missing wife. Raoul hesitated a little but followed them, Neal brought an eerie emerald glow to his palms and cautiously made his own way down the stairs.

"Alanna what if they're not down here?" Dom whispered as he followed the older woman.

"They're here, I can feel it."

Dom shuddered, Alanna's voice was icy and disconnected. It was as if she wasn't even there, just a shell of a person follow the trail of a hated enemy. He could hear Raoul and Neal behind him, their breathing a bit harsher than it should have been. Water trickled down the walls, the dirt path beneath his feet had creepy crawling insects that scattered when the light came near them. The light from the world above was no more, they 'd walk very deep and were still heading downwards.

"Alanna are you sure you know where you're going?" Neal asked hesitantly from the back of the group.

He got a snort in reply and did not speak after that. He didn't notice the large rock, and tripped over it. He crashed into Raoul, which caused a domino effect on Dom and Alanna. First the emerald light went out and then the amethyst. Alanna started cursing, both mages tried to restart their light, but they had no such luck.

* * *

"I see that your little friends have found our hiding place my pet," Roger sneered at the woman lying on in the corner.

She was horribly thin and had a gaunt look to her face, a small bump was protruding from her stomach. Her eyes were full of tears of hatred and anger. She refused to look the duke and curled herself around the bump.

"Oh come now, I wasn't going to harm them I was going to let them visit you, but now I guess they'll just have to take your punishment." He laughed cruelly and swept from the room, leaving the woman alone.

"Go away! Neal, Dom or whoever you are!" She cried out, even though she knew they couldn't hear her, it was the only thing she could do other than hope they wouldn't get hurt, "please don't come, please save yourselves."

* * *

"Alanna, Neal why are we still sitting in the dark?" Dom asked trying to stay calm.

"Well, dear cousin I do believe that Roger has either placed spells to keep our magic under control, or we ran out of magic, what's you guess?" Neal muttered sourly from the back of the group.

"Well you could use magic before, why not now?" Raoul asked curiously.

"Because he was hoping for Meathead to be a klutz, he lured us into a false sense of security making us think that we could use magic, and then he moved the spells into place," Alanna replied frustrated with their predicament,

"Then what are we supposed to do now?" Dom asked trying to figure out where Neal was so he could kick him.

Alanna thought about the Goddess' token, Roger's magic had never affected it before. Grasping at her neck for the small stone, she grabbed it and looked for the thread of orange. There it was heading down the way they were headed before Neal had tripped.

"Okay guys, join hands I know how do to this," Alanna commanded as she heard the rustling of feet and body movement.

A cold clammy hand grabbed hold of hers, and she heard murmurs of I'm ready and let's go. She followed the thread down the tunnel as it slowly angled upwards. She prayed that they weren't to late, and that they soon reached daylight. It would do no good if they had to fight in the dark. A faint light glimmered far away, and the orange thread thicker and brighter as they got closer.

"I can see the light!" Neal cried out, a bit to dramatically though.

"Don't be so over dramatic Neal," Dom muttered from behind Alanna.

Raoul laughed softly, well softly for a giant killer anyways. Alanna snorted and tried to concentrate on her task at leading them to safety, or at least the safety of the light.

The end of the tunnel grew larger and the light got brighter. When they were about ten meters from the entrance, laughter started to bounce off of the stone walls. Everyone froze as a shadowy form stood at the end of the tunnel.

"How nice of the four of you to join me and Keladry," a musical voice teased, he walked towards them.

No one moved, either to scared to or to brave to coward in the shadows. Dom and Neal were extremely angry, they wanted Kel back and they wanted her back now. Raoul was thinking of the best way to grind the man into little pieces, and Alanna, well Alanna wanted him destroyed for the rest of eternity, never to return to the world of the living. He should stay dead this time, even if she goes down with him, she'd keep him down for as long as she needed to.

"Give back Kel." Alanna said, it wasn't a statement it was a command, and one that ought to be followed.

"Oh, poor itty bitty Alan want his protege back?" Roger sneered taking another step closer to the group.

"My name is Alanna, I have killed you twice, you've taken Thom, the Shang Dragon, Master Si'cham, Faithful and Lightning from me, now I will defeat you for the last and final time, whether I die with you or not!" she cried fiercely, her eyes turned a deep, dark purple and they narrowed towards the one man that she would kill for the final time.

"How touching, you made quite the speech there," he laughed, "Unfortunately it will take more than that to defeat me, you heard what the Goddess said only the Chosen can and as I have proved twice you aren't that one."

Alanna charged at Roger with her sword, she dodged his orange flames. Both were engaged in a furious battle. The three men took this as their cue to find Kel, they slipped past the two mages. Dom and Neal ran to the end of the tunnel out into the light. There was a little blue cottage standing before them. Not waiting they kicked the wooden door down and began their search.

* * *

"KEL! Kel where are you?" a voice called from somewhere downstairs.

It was a familiar voice, one that Kel hadn't heard in a long time. She didn't have the energy to get up. Her mouth was parched, there was no way if she tried to yell that he would hear her. She had to wait until he found. She desperately hoped he would climb the stairs to the room she was in.

"Kel if you're here please give us a sign!" another familiar voice called.

Kel could hear their footsteps, she could hear them climbing the stairs, the opening and closing of doors. Finally her door creaked open, and two blue eyes caught hers. Dom rushed to her side tears streaming down his face, he was muttering apologies.

Dom picked Kel up in his arms, noting how light she was and the obvious bulge on her abdomen. He rubbed his face in her hair, taking in her sweet scent.

"Neal! Neal I've found her!"

Neal then came rushing up the stairs, and nearly had a heart attack when he saw her. She looked half dead to him, it was horrible. She had all sorts of bruises on her skin along with cuts and scrapes. He hair was all tangled and you could see how exhausted and malnourished she was.

"Kel," Neal sighed and hugged her and Dom, "We need to get her out of here now!"

Dom didn't need to be told twice, Neal led him out of the cottage and back towards the tunnel where Alanna was now be helped by Raoul in her gruesome duel with Roger. They'd emerged from the tunnel and were battling on the strip of land in front of the cottage.

Roger twisted and flashed a bright orange light in their eyes, sending Alanna and Raoul stumbling backwards. He laughed and turned to the three halfway to the tunnel.

"Oh good, you've decided to join us Kel!" Roger said enthusiastically.

He brought orange magic to his fingertips and swiftly moved his hand to one side, sending Neal flying across the yard to Alanna and Raoul. Grinning, he pulled his hand towards himself. Kel was lifted unwillingly from Dom's arms and towards Roger. Dom was appalled and wasn't afraid to show it. He charged at Roger, who wrapped an orange bubble around Dom.

"What a show of affection that was, I'm so sorry that I have to do this," he laughed bringing Dom's bubble over to where Kel had landed.

She was helpless, lying on the ground her eyes for the first time full of fear and not anger. She could see Alanna, Raoul and Neal trying to creep towards her. Roger seemed to have noticed and brought them into a bubble as well, he pulled them over so that they were standing around Kel.

"Well I'm glad I get to have an audience for this."

Roger grabbed his bloody sword off of the ground and walked to Kel. A smirk on his face, he looked at her face and then to Dom's. He couldn't have been more pleased, both had the exact same look on their faces. Of course they would never get the perfect good bye like a loving couple should but what did he care, he hadn't gotten such fair treatment why should they.

"Goodbye, O Great Protector," he plunged the sword deep into her heart.

Kel rolled over and saw Dom's anguished face just before her eyes fluttered shut.

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Author's Note: Review! Review! Review! At least ten to see what happens next, unless you're satisfied with the lovely cliffie I've left you at.


	9. Meetings with the Gods

**Author's Note: I'm sorry everyone but I had to do that. It's just the way things were meant to be. But thanks for all of the reviews I got, and I'm so sorry that you're all angry with my plot. Well no I'm not really sorry actually, anyways here's the next bit.**

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Chapter Eight – Meetings of the Gods

"Goodbye, O Great Protector," he plunged the sword deep into her heart.

Kel rolled over and saw Dom's anguished face just before her eyes fluttered shut.

"KEL! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Dom was wreathing inside the bubble trying to get to his love.

Roger let a cruel laugh and faded from the yard. He watched as the orange bubbles slowly faded along with his body. They popped just before he did, their captives rushing to the side of the bloody mass.

"KEL, Kel speak to me!" Dom cried as he pulled the body to his chest, covering himself in her blood.

Neal had tears streaming down his face. He knew that nothing could bring her back now. Dom was fully drenched in Kel's blood. The scary thing was that she had never screamed, she hadn't made a sound not even when Roger had plunged the sword through her chest. Neal was dying on the inside, he knew that she was gone, the girl who had gone through a year of probation, fought off bandits, killed Blayce was gone.

"Alanna, Neal do something please!" Dom wailed as he tried to talk to Kel.

"Dom there's nothing that we can do, I'm sorry but Roger hit her heart," Alanna whispered, "she's gone."

"NO SHE'S NOT!" Dom screamed as he tried to pull the sword from her body.

Neal rested a hand on Dom's shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look. Tears were welling Dom's eyes, and Neal's too. Dom looked so vulnerable to Neal that it was heartbreaking, he had never seen Dom like this.

"Then I know what I have to do," Dom drew his dagger from it's sheath.

Raoul's eyes bulged, "Sergeant, I order you to drop that weapon!"

"I cannot comply with that order, my Kel is gone what else have I got to live for?"

Dom brought the dagger up towards his chest.

* * *

Kel was floating through space, it was dark and there was a door up ahead. As she grew closer to the door, she started to hear a soft buzz. As if a gathering was happening. When she got to the door it opened onto a court room. It was the same room that a dream had taken place in, the one after she had first become a squire in Haresfield. Except none of her family or friends were there, in their place were the gods.

On the high dais were what Kel assumed to be Mithros, the Goddess, and Black God. All around were minor gods and goddesses, standing witness to this trial.

"Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan?" The cloaked figure said from the dais.

Kel stepped forward hesitantly, her head held high, "Y-yes."

"Why are you here, you aren't supposed to be here," Mithros told her as she stepped closer.

"Aren't I d-dead, I thought I was supposed to be here?"

"Keladry, you aren't supposed to be dead though, nor is your son," this came from the Goddess.

Kel was very confused now. If she wasn't supposed to be dead, why was she? It seemed that she'd managed to confuse the gods as well as herself. She could feel the eyes focusing on her back and those staring at her from the dais.

"This trial is adjourned, Keladry could you please follow," the Goddess spoke clearly, and floated down form the dais.

Kel followed the woman through to a separate room. Kel hadn't noticed it before, but the Goddess was an incredibly beautiful creature. Her hair as dark as night, her eyes even more emerald than Neal's. Her voice was like a pack of thousand wolves howling like the wind. The door shut behind her. Kel glanced around the room, there were two beautifully carven oak chairs and a table.

"Keladry I'm going to send you back, and your son as well," she told Kel.

"Son?" Kel murmured, trying to process the idea of having a son.

"Yes, your son my daughter." The Goddess smiled at the young woman, "Sit in one of those chairs, and close your eyes."

Kel sat in one of the chairs. Hesitantly she closed her eyes and took in a deep breathe. She felt a ticklish feeling in her abdomen and then something resting in her hands. Kel wrapped her hands around the weight, she automatically knew what she was holding. She grinned and then felt like she was being sucked through a tube.

* * *

Alanna dove towards Dom. She knocked the dagger from his hand and tackled him to the ground. Of course wrestling had never been Alanna's strong point and she was rusty. Alanna was putting up a good fight but Dom had her pinned to the ground in a matter of seconds. Alanna tried to get Dom off of her without any luck.

Dom retrieved the dagger which was a scant foot away from where he had dropped it. He didn't see Neal out of the corner of his eye, not until it was too late. Neal had Dom on the ground with the dagger out of his hand in a matter of seconds. Neal punched Dom in jaw, Dom kneed Neal. When he clamored up the ground Raoul had him. His hands were locked behind his back and Neal was clinging to his feet. Alanna had the dagger in her hand, with a slightly swollen eye glaring at the man.

"Now what are you four doing?" came a sensible voice from a nearby tree.

All heads turned to where the voice had come from. They all thought they were going crazy, because beneath the tree stood a woman in the pink of health holding a bundle in her arms. She looked like Kel, their Kel the one they'd known for years.

"KEL?" Dom screamed as tried to get out of the restraint he was in, "LET GO OF ME!"

Raoul and Neal released Dom and nearly toppled over by the whirlwind he'd created. Dom was beside Kel before they'd even been able to say a word.

"Kel is it really you?"Dom asked placing a hand on her cheek.

Kel brought her hand up and placed it on top of her husband's. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, and she saw the ones in Dom's. Dom place his other hand on the abandoned cheek and kissed her fiercely. Kel did not argue, she hadn't felt his lips on hers in quite some time, or at least she'd thought so. It felt so sweet and passionate and – and loving she decided.

When they finally broke apart Kel murmured something to him, "We need a name for our son."

"Huh?"

Kel looked down into her arms. Dom followed her gaze and saw what she meant. There was a beautiful baby boy nestled in her arms, sleeping softly. Dom looked at him contently, wondering what he'd look like when he was older, what colour were his eyes, would he become a knight or a soldier. So many things were running through his head, he looked into Kel's eyes and could see the love.

"I think we need to introduce him to his 'extended' family," Dom whispered, while they been kissing the others had crept a little bit closer.

Dom beckoned the others over with a grin on his face, "Meet the newest addition."

Alanna cooed over the baby, Raoul was plotting with Dom how they were going to recruit him into the own and Neal looked Kel over with a healer's eyes.

"Well what are we going to do with you?" he asked skeptically of her.

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Author's Note: So did I scare you all? I got the very angry reviews about the well being of our Kel. I need some names for Baby Masbolle, if you have any give me them so I can write the next chapter. (Mea culpa for not updating sooner.)


	10. War Again?

**Author's Note: So sorry for not updating sooner I've busy lately. Anyways what was with the lack of reviews on the last chapter? Was it really that bad? Well now you have to live my choice of name for the baby, so HA! Thank you to the five people that did review, mistmagic, soccachix101, natsumi456, tuxie13, and oirishgoddess. So now onto chapter 10?**

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Chapter Ten – War Again?

_Dom beckoned the others over with a grin on his face, "Meet the newest addition."_

_Alanna cooed over the baby, Raoul was plotting with Dom how they were going to recruit him into the own and Neal looked Kel over with a healer's eyes._

"_Well what are we going to do with you?" he asked skeptically of her._

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As they traveled back through the tunnel, it felt like it was taking them days. Almost as if someone had made it much longer. Even more so because now they were carrying Kel and the baby, Aiden as they'd decided to name him. At least they had light now, thanks to the now vanished spells.

"Is it just me or did this tunnel get like a billion miles longer?" Neal asked from the back of the group.

"Hey Neal," Dom said from in front of him, "Do you want some cheese with that whine?"

"I'm not whining! I was merely stating that it felt like this tunnel had gotten longer," he yelled at Dom who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Okay boys it's nap time," Kel laughed as she turned to look at the two men.

"But I'm not tired," Dom said in a child's voice as he turned to his wife with an innocent look on his face.

Kel laughed and turned back to Raoul and Alanna who were shaking their heads. They did not seem very impressed with Neal and Dom. It could only be because it reminded them of when they were that age, green knights and like puppies in a basket. But things were so different now, for one thing they were all getting old, Raoul and Gary were almost fifty and Jon wasn't too far behind. Alanna let a sigh of wonder escape her, what if things had been different, what if the old king hadn't killed himself. Would she still be here, or would she be on some other sort of adventure?

"What's up Alanna?" Raoul asked curiously as they got a little farther away from the three young adults.

"Oh I was just thinking about when we were their age, before we all started getting old." She murmured, it was weird looking back in on the memories and having Kel, Dom and Neal be the reason for the flashback.

"We weren't the same as them Alanna, they're different than we were. I have to say that have it a lot harder than we did, sure we had to deal with Roger trying to kill Jon but back then all he had were humans, now they have to deal with immortals, and humans and undead mages who have been killed who knows how many times," Raoul told her, "But in a sense they do remind me of you, me and Jon, especially after Thom was born."

The tunnel eventually sloped upwards, Raoul and Alanna were the first to reach the ladder. They'd managed to get lost in the memories and the time had passed much faster than it had earlier. The things they remembered were quite hilarious, like when Raoul had been dared to kiss Lady Roxanne and the look on the court gossips faces when they'd found out that Alan was actually Alanna.

Dom, Kel and Neal finally caught up to Alanna and Raoul who had stopped. Kel was rocking Aiden back and forth in her arms. She loved her son just as much as she loved the other people in her life, well maybe she loved him more than Neal but that wasn't the point. He looked just like Dom with the exception to his hair, which was a few shades lighter.

"Come on guys I'm tired and hungry and covered in dirt, I want to get back to the palace where a nice warm bath will be waiting for me." Alanna murmured annoyed at the young people.

Neal stuck his tongue out at Alanna when her back was turned.

"You'd better put that tongue back in your mouth Nealan!"

Dom, Kel and Raoul laughed as Neal looked like he'd swallowed a bumble bee. Kel secured Aiden in the makeshift sling that had been made for him out of Raoul's tunic and started to climb up the ladder after Alanna. Dom followed, with Raoul going after him. Neal of course muttered dark words under his breath about always being last.

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Hours Later Back At the Palace.

Kel was sitting on a sofa, Chris was napping in her lap and Aiden was asleep in his crib. She felt peaceful, everything was as it should be. Yuki sat on another sofa, Willow was sleeping as Chris was, in her mother's lap. Dom and Neal were playing a very competitive game of chess across the room while their wives chatted.

A knock fell upon the door, bringing a sudden jolt of confusion to the group. It was quite late, no one would call on them at this hour. Dom slid from his chair and opened the door. A messenger stood there with a note, he thrust it into Dom's hand and briskly walked down the hall.

Dom cleared his throat and read aloud, "Sergeant Domitan and Lady Knight Keladry of Masbolle, could you please report to the meeting hall for a very important meeting, Your's Truly King Jonathon III."

"Neal you'd better come too, no doubt they sent a messenger to your rooms as well, Yuki will you watch the children?" Kel asked of her friend, Yuki nodded and kissed her husband who'd come to stand by her.

"Alright let's go, it must be important if the king is calling for it at this hour." Dom forced a laugh as they proceeded to the meeting.

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King Jonathon sat at the head of a very long table, Roald on one side and Raoul on the other. Various people sat in chairs around the table, most of them were very important such as Numair and Daine. All the sergeants of the Own were there, Buri, Alanna, Padraig haMinch, and Wyldon were also present. Three seats remained, between Daine and Wyldon. Neal sat next to Daine, naturally as far from "the Stump" as possible. Dom sat between him and Kel who was next to Wyldon.

The king called order to the room, and it fell silent. He looked around, eyes flicking from one person to the next. He looked scared, his eyes had purple bags under them and his mouth was frowning.

"I don't know if you've heard the rumors but Maren is seeking a new standing in the Eastern Lands. They've invaded Galla to the north. Galla of course as one of allies is looking for help and because of our treaty with them we are obliged to help."

"They want to be the biggest country on this side of the Emerald Ocean, and they won't stop until they have brought every country under their name. If we don't stop them then who will, so it is unfortunate but we will be going to war with Maren. A messenger has been sent to the capital with a notice. I'm sorry everyone, I know that the Scanran War just barely ended but it's fight or be conquered."

Moments passed in full silence, no one moved, no one spoke. It was almost as if it was a room full of statues. Kel looked around the room at all of the faces, most of the were from the king's generation, old withering knights. Though there were some like green like her, Neal and Roald.

"Fight or be conquered," Kel said in a steady, clear voice.

All heads turned to the face that had broken the silence. Kel was on her feet, and looked towards the man that had place her on probation twelve years ago, the man that had almost denied her of her dream, the man that she owed her life to.

"Fight or be conquered." A voice as clear as Kel's had been came from next to the king, Roald was now on his feet as well.

All around the room, the greenest knights were on the feet and repeated the words that were coursing through everyone's minds now. Dom and all of the other sergeants stood as one and shouted it.

Alanna and Raoul were grinning. Of course none of the conservatives were standing, at least not until one of the stuffiest of them all got to his feet.

"Fight or be conquered!" Wyldon yelled, bringing everyone in the room to their feet.

The king closed the meeting. Everyone was trying to get to the door as soon as possible. Wyldon caught Kel's wrist as she headed for the door. She stopped, confused, and looked at his face.

"Sir?"

"That was a very brave thing you just did there."

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**Author's Note: Sorry for taking so long to update, I was having a difficult time trying to find an idea for this chapter. Anyways I would like 10 reviews, at least! Or NO 11th chapter!**


	11. We Stay Home While the Men Go Off to War

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry for taking forever with this chapter, but I've had so much homework to do lately that I have like no time to write. I have two ISU's, one for geography and one for music and they're taking me forever to complete. Anyways here's some fluff for you.**

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Chapter Eleven – We Stay Home While the Men Go to War

Dom, Kel and Neal left the meeting room together. Dom had his arm around his wife's waist. There was no way he was going to let his wife go to war right now, not after the baby and Roger. No Kel was going to stay at the palace where people would be able to keep an eye on her. Dom kissed the top of Kel's head pulling her close to him.

"What's with all of this romantic stuff?" Kel asked her husband, deeply amused by his actions.

"I just want to make sure you know that a love you," Dom whispered into her ear before trailing soft kisses down her neck.

"Okay can you please do that when I'm not here, it makes me extremely uncomfortable. Kel is like a sister to me and Dom you're like a brother." Neal insisted as they continued down the hallway.

Dom stuck his tongue out at his cousin. Kel laughed at Neal who was once again muttering under his breath about how he was so misunderstood. She leaned into Dom, her head resting just beneath his chin. It was almost as if they were to pieces of a puzzle, meant to fit together, of course they could fit elsewhere but it was easiest for them to fit together.

The three turned down the hall where their rooms were. Dom quietly opened the door to his family's suite. Yuki was on the sofa, Chris and Willow were sleeping soundly on either side of her. Kel smiled, as she quietly walked over and gently lifted up her daughter. Neal picked his own daughter up, holding her in one arm he guided his wife back to their own suite.

Kel carried Chris to bed, Dom a step behind her. Dom pulled the covers back and Kel place Chris down, she kissed her forehead as Dom pulled the covers back up. The girl looked very peaceful asleep, Dom could see much of Kel in his daughter. They both had that beautiful face, and brown hair.

"It's been a long day, how about we go to sleep," Dom whispered, picking up his wife.

Dom carried Kel across the front room towards their own bed. He was trailing kisses down her neck. He could hear her heartbeat picking up. Kel wrapped her arms around his neck. She used one hand to pull Dom's lips away from her neck. She replaced her neck with her own lips. His lips were as soft and warm as when he had first kissed the few years ago.

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Dom woke up early the next morning, much earlier than Kel did. He quietly slipped out of bed and got dressed. He wanted to go discuss keeping Kel out of the fighting for as long as possible. Dom looked at Kel, she looked like a little girl sleeping peacefully with not a worry in the world. Jump quietly entered the room and looked at Dom.

"Let's go find Raoul you oldster," Dom whispered grinning at the old dog.

Man and dog set off in search of the knight commander. Although Raoul was probably still asleep, Dom didn't mind waking his commander up. He didn't really think that Raoul would object to Kel staying at the palace for a little while, but he knew Kel would. She would see it as pointless for her to stay when her country needed her.

Dom was at Raoul's door when he heard voices coming from inside. From the sound of it people were arguing. He shrugged his shoulders and knocked on the door. Raoul opened it with a very distressed Buri behind him. Tears were running down Buri's face.

"Dom?" Raoul said confused looking from him to his wife behind him.

"Um if this is a bad time sir I can always come back later." Dom murmured turning to leave when Raoul grabbed his wrist and dragged him into the room.

"No, no, Buri is fine she is merely upset that Thayet has ordered her out of the fighting for the next year."

"Oh. Well that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Dom said watching as a Buri's eyes lit up.

"You mean I can still fight?" Buri said her eyes huge and happiness spread across her face.

"No, Buri I refuse to let you fight."

Buri scowled and left muttering darkly in K'miri. Dom grinned and turned back to Raoul.

"Well sir it's about keeping Kel out of the fighting," Dom told him seriously, "I was wondering if someone, possibly you, could order her to stay here for a little while."

"Because you're afraid she'll get hurt right?" Raoul asked his sergeant.

Dom nodded, he was afraid Kel would do something and she would get hurt or even die. That was something that Dom definitely did not want to happen.

"Buri! You'll have company over the next year because Kel isn't allowed to fight either!"

"Thank you sir," Dom replied and left as Buri came charging back into the room.

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Kel woke up to find that Dom was not next to her. That was odd, he never woke up before her. Kel slipped out of bed and pulled a dressing robe on over her night gown. The door was partially open, Kel assumed that Dom would be in the study but he wasn't. The door to the Chris's room was open. Kel peaked in to see Chris curled up in her father's lap. Kel could feel tears forming in her eyes. The two looked just as they should, father and daughter.

"I love you Kel," Dom whispered when she came to sit down next to them.

"I love you too Dom," Kel whispered into his ear, she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Kel you know I would only ask something of you if it was really important and I thought that your safety was at question right?"

"What are you getting at?" Kel demanded quietly, trying not to wake up the sleeping toddler.

"I don't want you to fight, not yet at least. You just had Aiden and I don't think that you should be going to war right now."

"Dom you can't stop me from going and you know that." Kel murmured all emotions gone as she thought about it in her mind.

"Yes I know I can't, but Raoul can."

Kel looked at Dom, "How could you?"

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Yuki came by later that day with Willow and Neal in tow. She was confused as to why Kel was angry with Dom. Threatening Neal with her fan she got him to take Dom away so that she and Kel coul have some girl time.

"So why are you so angry at Sergeant Blue Eyes?" Yuki asked curiously holding baby Aiden in her lap.

"He went to Raoul and asked him to order me out of the fighting!" Kel told her friend, she was very frustrated at the moment.

"I see, and this is a problem because?" Yuki asked Kel who at the moment was looking at Yuki like she was crazy.

"Kel you'll get to watch your children grow up right now, something you never imagined would happen right? So why don't you take a break from you fight to fix the world and relax. Did you know that the queen ordered Buri out of the fighting as well, so you to can plot revenge if you so wish so together."

"Really well Raoul and Dom are not going to be very happy, I'll find a way to make squeal and beg for mercy." Kel whispered darkly, revenge was all she could think about at the moment, "Maybe I'll bring Buri into this?"

Chris and Willow were playing on the floor. They didn't seem to notice their mothers' conversation. The two toddlers just enjoyed being with each other. Though they were nothing alike, Chris was a very loud and outgoing child unlike Willow who was like her mother quiet and thoughtful.

"Mama can we go play in the snow?" Chris asked tugging on her mother's breeches.

"Yuki do you think we should take them outside?" Kel asked a smile playing across her face.

"Why not, we'll meet you out by the big hill."Yuki scooped up her daughter and gracefully drifted from the room.

Kel held her son in her arm and took Chris by the hand. She led her daughter into her room and pulled out a pair of thickly padded pants and a large fleece sweater.

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Author's Note: Okay I have no idea what time/month this story is at right now so I'm going to pretend that it is early February. Anyways sorry for the extremely long wait I've just been really busy, I meant to update last weekend but I was at a swim meet and didn't have time to type.

**Review!! See that green button beneath this, it's magical! I dare you to press it!**


	12. Memory Lane

**Author's Note: I'm sorry guys, but I've been really busy lately so I haven't really had time to update. See I had exams and ISU's that needed to be done so this has suffered from overworking. I may have been more provoked to write if I'd had more than one review but anyways here's the next chapter.**

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Chapter Twelve – Was It A Walk Down the Pages' Wing or Memory Lane?

Kel watched as Dom, Neal, Raoul and the men of the Own left the gates into the city. Off to the Maren border they went, without the Protector or the Riders Commander. No Kel and Buri stood on the wall as they watched the train of blue and silver travel down the road in the pre-dawn gloom. In a few days they would put their plan in action, and know would be able to stop them.

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"Kel what are you going to do about Chris and Aiden?" Buri asked her scheming friend as they finalized the plans for their journey.

"Buri I think it's time we bring Yuki into the scheme. I mean if we're going to be able to follow through she's going to have to watch them." Kel replied as she wrote down all of the rations they'd need to catch up to the Own.

"Maybe we should bring a Rider Group with us, I mean I'm the only one they'll listen to I am their commander," Buri thought allowed as Kel left the room briefly, returning with a pack.

"That's not a bad idea, I'll be back I'm just going to go talk to Yuki."

Kel left the pack on her desk and went in search of her friend. Right now Yuki was watching the children and Kel knew she just adored them. It wouldn't be that hard to convince her would it? Kel was walking down the hall someone was walking towards her and she noticed that it was her old teacher Sir Myles. He would probably ask her what she was up to and figure out that she was plotting to fight. She darted down another corridor, this one took her to the pages wing. It was a trip down memory lane,

_Wyldon was coming down the hall. Boys joined him as he passed, talking quietly. One of them was a boy with white-blond hair and blue eyes, set in a face as rosy-cheeked as a girl. Kel, seeing the crispness of his movements and stubbornness around his mouth, guessed that anybody silly enough to mistake that one for a girl would be quickly taught his mistake. A big, cheerful-looking red-headed boy walked on Wyldon's left, joking with a very tall lanky youth. _

"It feels like it was yesterday when Neal chose to sponsor me," Kel laughed to herself as she gazed at the plain doors with their slates in perfect position.

_Only Kel remained. Wyldon demanded, "Your name and your fief?"_

_She gulped. "Keladry of Mindelan."_

"_Who will sponsor her?" asked Wyldon._

_The blond youth at Wyldon's side raised a hand. "May I, my lord?" he asked._

_Lord Wyldon stared at him. "You, Joren of Stone Mountain?"_

_The youth bowed. "I would be pleased to teach the girl all she needs to know of life in the pages wing."_

_Lord Wyldon frowned. "I had hoped for another sponsor," he commented stiffly. "You should employ your spare hours in the improvement of your classwork and riding skills."_

"_I believe I can perfect my studies and sponsor the girl," Joren said respectfully. "And since I am the only volunteer-"_

" _I suppose I'm being rash and peculiar, _again_," someone remarked in a drawling voice, "but if it means helping my friend Joren improve his studies, well, I'll just have to sacrifice myself. There's nothing I won't do to further the cause of book learning among my peers."_

"_You volunteer, Nealan of Queenscove?"_

_The youth bowed jerkily. "That I do, your worship, sir" There was the barest taunt in Nealan's educated voice._

" _A sponsor should be a page in his second year at least," Wyldon informed Nealan. "And you will mind your tongue."_

"Neal always had to sharpen his tongue on Wyldon, of course it was very amusing." At this point Kel had stopped walking down the hall and just stood there gazing around, it felt like an old home now.

_Neal did the talking as they walked down the stable to Peachblossom's stall. He made the mistake of trying to stroke him. Back went the gelding's ears; up went he head. Neal snatched his hand away. "Excuse _me_," he muttered._

"He never could keep his hands away, Peachblossom taught him a valuable lesson."

"_Charge," she whispered to Peachblossom. She hadn't demanded that speed from him since their first try at the quintain._

_He lowered his head and charged, hooves thundering on the damp, springtime ground._

_Kel rose to meet the target, her lance aimed at the circle. She struck it dead center. The target snapped to the side, precisely as it did for the third and fourth year pages, the quintain turning neatly. Kel galloped past, waiting for the bruising impact of the sandbag. It never came._

Kel had never felt so satisfied tilting, not since that first time she hadn't gotten a buffet from the sandbag.

"_Oh, look – it's the Lump." Vinson got to his feet. "Do you want trouble, probationer?" he asked grinnine. "We'd just love to give it to you."_

"_No, I don't want it," Kel replied. She kept her eyes on Joren. The leader of the gang was always the one to watch. The others would take their cues from him. "What I want is for you to stop pushing the first years around."_

"None of us ever thought that he'd end up dying during the Ordeal." She didn't even want to think of that fateful morning.

"_Kel, I'm still not sure about that catapult problem," he confessed, "If I fetch it at lunch, would you take a look?"_

_Kel nodded. "You didn't have to ask, you know."_

_Faleron grinned. "Mama raised me polite."_

_In a nearby stall Garvey muttered, "So Faleron, you're friends with her now because you can have her whenever you want?"_

_Neal's unmistakable drawl sounded through the stable: "Joren is sooo pretty. Say, Garvey, are you two friends because you can have him?"_

Kel shuddered at the memory. It was scary how the horses had intervened almost as if they were adults pulling toddlers apart.

Life had definitely been hard for them back them. Kel could feel tears welling up. The memories felt like yesterday, but they were such a long time ago. They were all grown up now and having children of their own, it felt almost surreal. Kel didn't want to let go, she wanted life to be same again. She wanted to be the little girl who was determined to right every wrong doing in the Eastern Lands.

"Keladry, may I ask why you're here in the pages wing?" a rough voice came form behind her.

Kel wiped whatever tears were in her eyes away. She turned to face her old training master. He looked much older than he had the first time she'd seen him almost thirteen years ago. But unlike then he looked kinder, more understanding.

"I guess my feet just brought me down here to remember." Kel told him.

"As did mine," he replied.

"Sir, do you ever regret letting me stay?" Kel asked the question she'd wanted to ask for such a long time.

"Keladry I've never regretted letting you stay, I do regret putting you on probation though. It was unfair and you deserved to be here more than any of those boys did."

"Do you miss those days, I mean once I'd become a squire and Vinson and Joren had cracked under the Ordeal you resigned."

"I don't really know anymore Keladry, I've seen so many boys go trough their page years, but I have to admit the four years I had you were the most trying years. Now I do believe you are supposed to be somewhere, am I right?"

Kel nodded and bowed. She turned to leave when he said something else.

"Keladry I do hope you aren't planning to do anything stupid it would be very out of character."

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Author's Note: Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I actually was crying while I wrote it. Isn't that just the saddest thing ever? Anyways I hope you all review, I know for a fact that you want to press that pretty green button that says 'Review this Story/Chapter'. If I don't get 10 reviews I might decide to start killing people we love off and you wouldn't want that now would you?


	13. You Can't Tell Me What To Do!

**Author's Note: I am extremely disappointed of all of you, all except for DomLuver and oirishgoddess. Well all sincerely apologize to your DomLuver but certain people, or animals will be dying in the near future and you can blame those that didn't review. Anyways onto chapter 13!**

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Chapter Thirteen - "You Can't Tell Me What To Do!"

Kel continued through the palace halls, she was hoping that Yuki would be in her rooms. If she and Buri were to succeed than Yuki would have to take care of Chris and Aiden until they returned. Kel arrived at Yuki's door and gave to firm knocks.

The door opened to reveal empty air and a giggle came from the ground, "Auntie Kel!"

Kel's legs were squeezed by the two-year olds small arms and body. Kel picked up her niece and peered around the door. Her own daughter ran to the door and hugged her as well.

"Yuki?"

"Just a minute Kel, would you like some tea?" Yuki called from the hearth.

"If it's apple-cinnamon then please," Kel carried her niece and daughter into the main room and sat on one of the sofas. A crib was set up next to the sofas, inside Aiden was sleeping.

Yuki carried a tray from the hearth. On it was a small teapot and cups, they beautiful cherry blossom designs on them reminding Kel of her time spent in the Islands. Yuki sat down on a sofa opposite from Kel's, placing the tray on a table between them.

"So what is it you've come to see me for?" Yuki asked suspiciously.

"Why are you so suspicious, am I no longer allowed to visit my friends?" Kel countered trying to get whatever Yuki was hiding out.

Yuki sighed and looked at her daughter who was stretched across the floor with Chris and her favourite doll. A small smile grew on her face, she looked into the crib and saw the beautiful baby boy sleeping.

"Kel, I think I'm pregnant," Yuki whispered to her friend, a solitary tear slipped down her face.

"Oh Yuki that's wonderful!" Kel smiled as she congratulated her friend, "Why do I have a feeling that you're not happy about this?"

"Kel Neal's gone off to war and I don't if I'm ever going to see him again, and what if he doesn't come back!" Yuki cried trying very hard to keep her mask in place.

Kel switched seats to sit next to her friend. She wrapped a comforting arm around her and let the tears flow into her shirt.

"You know what Yuki I'll go down there and make sure Neal doesn't get hurt okay."

"I knew you and Buri were planning to leave!" Yuki brought her head all traces of tears in her eyes gone.

"Wait you're aren't upset!" Kel's chin dropped, Yuki wasn't upset at all she'd been acting to get Kel to admit that she and Buri were leaving, "So are you or aren't you pregnant?"

"I am pregnant and I'm not letting you leave, because there will be no one to watch your children." Yuki pursed her lips together to show Kel that she would stand her ground.

"Fine," Kel murmured, she walked to the crib and grabbed her son. Kel took her daughter by the hand and left.

* * *

Kel left her children in the care of Buri whilst she sought out Lalasa. All she had to do was convince Lalasa to watch the kids for a little while and then when Kel didn't return she'd go in search of Yuki. So in the end Yuki would end up watching them, Yuki wasn't the type of person who would hold a grudge on two young children especially ones as cute as Chris and Aiden.

Kel stepped into the dressmaker's shop, letting the bell ring freely throughout the store.

"One moment please," Lalasa called from the back room, "Oh Lady Kel, what a surprise. What can I do for you today?"

"Lalasa I have a big favor to ask of you, you wouldn't mind watching Aiden and Chris tonight would you?"

"Of course not what's the occasion?" Lalasa asked surprised at the favor, she didn't think she'd ever be asked to take care of her former mistress's children.

"Buri and I are going out tonight and Yuki won't take them," Kel replied trying to make it not seem obvious that Yuki had blatantly refused.

"Sure no problem, what time would you like me to come by at?"

"Do you think you could be at my rooms around eight bells after mid-day?" Kel asked thanking the gods silently that Lalasa had agreed.

* * *

Buri had Group Askew gathered near the Royal Forest. They were just waiting for Kel to arrive and they'd be on their way to Maren. The eighth bell had rung not long ago and Kel was to arrive any minute with her two mounts.

"Kel, over here!" Buri called, unsure if her friend could see them or not in the dim light.

Kel led Hoshi and Peachblossom over to them. She'd penned a quick note to Lalasa telling her where she was going exactly, leaving it on Chris's bed. Lalasa was a smart girl and would know what to do when she found it.

"Ready?" Buri asked Kel when she wasn't so far away.

Kel nodded in reply. "Mount up," Buri commanded her group.

It was a quiet night as they trotted through the forest. The calls of night birds and insects was calming. Kel couldn't help but feel a little guilty for tricking Lalasa and going against Yuki's wishes. She missed her children very much, the way Chris always asked her to tell her about one of her adventures and the way Aiden fell asleep in her arms. Most of all she missed Dom. She missed waking up next to him in the morning, and how awful his breath smelt.

"So Kel how do you think those two pathetic men who call themselves our husbands will react when we show up?" Buri laughed at the thought.

"I don't know, but I don't think they'll be very happy." Kel grinned at what Neal would say when he saw them.

"They think they know us so well, but they won't even imagine us showing up." Buri sighed.

* * *

Dom was sitting on a log eating his lumpy so-called bowl of porridge. He missed Kel, he missed the way she would laugh at his jokes. He missed her dreamy hazel eyes, and her long blond-brown hair. He missed the way she'd tell him to brush his teeth in the morning before he kissed her.

Dom was so deep in thought that he didn't hear his squad creeping up behind him with the pot of unwanted porridge.

"Dom do you want anymore porridge?" Wolset asked walking in front of him so that he wouldn't look back.

"Sure," Dom sighed gloomily.

Little did Dom know that he's be getting a pot of it dumped on him. Fulcher and Pascar tipped the pot over their sergeant's head. Dom was covered in the lumpy now cold goop. He didn't even yell at them, just lifted his eyebrows and left to go rinse off.

"He didn't even yell at us," Fulcher murmured displeased with the effect of their prank.

"It's no fun when he doesn't get angry." Wolset muttered.

Raoul had watched the scene and was just as surprised as the other men were. Dom must really be missing Kel to not have even said a word to them. He followed Dom down to the river.

"Dom I miss Kel just as much as I miss Buri but you're putting a damper on everyone." He told his favourite sergeant.

"How can I be happy when I forced Kel to stay at the palace, she's probably thinking I don't love her anymore and wants to get a divorce or something. I'll probably never get to see Chris or Aiden again and you and Neal and all of her friends will kill me for breaking her heart!" Dom moaned as he climbed out of the river.

"Dom do you honestly think that Kel will want to get a divorce?" Raoul laughed at his dramatic friend, "You realize you're acting like Neal right?"

Dom's eyes popped open and bulged, "That is a very big insult Raoul!"

Raoul grinned and turned back to camp laughing. Dom scowled as he dressed into a clean set of clothes he'd brought with him. He decided the best way to get over these glooms would be to go and torture his favourite cousin.

"Oh Neal!" Dom cried out in a sing song voice as he entered camp.

"Dom go away!" Neal cried from his tent.

Neal was dragged from his tent by his cousin. The men of the own laughed as the watched their dear Meathead being dragged through the mud by Dom. A certain group of men was missing all of the action, due to their gambling addiction.

Wolset, Pascar, Fulcher and other men who knew Kel fairly well were sitting in Wolset's tent.

"How much do you want to bet that Kel is on her way right now?" Wolset asked the other men.

"I bet she'll be at the army post before us," Fulcher grinned throwing in two silver nobles.

"No way she'll get there two days after us," said one of the others.

"One silver noble she catches up to us before we board the ferry," Pascar muttered.

They carried on this way until Raoul ordered them to pack up and get moving. Once they were moving, Wolset asked Dom when he thought Kel would show up. This earned him a nice hard whack with a tree branch.

"Wolset Kel's been ordered not to come, so she won't be showing up anytime soon."

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Author's Note: Well I hope you ;liked this chapter, you've still got a chance to save victim 1. If I get 5 reviews I'll reconsider the death of one of our most favourite characters.


	14. Traveling with the Own and the Riders

**Author's Note: Sorry it's taken so long for me to post this, but I've been pretty busy this past week. So here is chapter fourteen.**

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Chapter Fourteen – Traveling with Own and the Riders

"_How much do you want to bet that Kel is on her way right now?" Wolset asked the other men._

"_I bet she'll be at the army post before us," Fulcher grinned throwing in two silver nobles._

"_No way she'll get there two days after us," said one of the others._

"_One silver noble she catches up to us before we board the ferry," Pascar muttered._

_They carried on this way until Raoul ordered them to pack up and get moving. Once they were moving, Wolset asked Dom when he thought Kel would show up. This earned him a nice hard whack with a tree branch._

"_Wolset Kel's been ordered not to come, so she won't be showing up anytime soon."_

* * *

Kel quietly slipped out of her bedroll. The smell of oatmeal and bacon led her to where most of the group were eating breakfast. Evin was sitting on a log that had been rolled over to the fire pit with Miri and another man that Kel didn't know. Buri was sitting next to a pot of oatmeal that looked non-edible, she was chatting with a few of the women.

"Hey Larse, this oatmeal tastes like cardboard!" shouted one man after he'd taken a bite.

"Deal with it," Evin called over his shoulder without looking up from his friends.

The man who'd complained picked up the pot from the fire and carried it over quietly to where Evin was sitting.

"Fine," he replied, and courteously tipped the pot over his friend's head.

Evin let an undignified cry as the lumpy oatmeal hit him. He turned around to see his friend grinning, and trying not to laugh. Revenge was close behind him, Evin picked up a scoop of oatmeal off the ground and made to throw it. His victim ducked out of the way just in time. The lump of oatmeal when flying through the air and hit Buri smack in the face.

"Who....threw....that!" she yelled, whilst trying not to laugh.

The two men pointed at each other, they had grins on their faces. Almost as if they knew that Buri wasn't actually angry. The group couldn't help it, they all burst into laughter. Kel couldn't help but think how much the Riders and the Own were alike, though neither group would confess to this.

"Fine you two get to clean up this mess, then we'll be off."

* * *

Once the group was on the rode it was much more peaceful. They were traveling at a comfortable pace, not incredibly face but not slow either. Miri rode with Kel and pointed out wild animals and their hiding places. She told Kel that she'd learnt a lot when Daine had helped with the new recruits a few years back.

Kel couldn't help but wonder what Dom was doing at that moment. She missed him a lot, and she felt a little guilty about going against his wishes, but it felt like the right thing to do. What if he got himself killed, she'd feel horrible for not saying a proper goodbye to him.

"So Kel what do you think of riding with my magnificent Group Askew?" Buri asked her young friend.

"When did we become so magnificent?" Evin asked, riding up on Kel's other side.

"Evin one of these days I'm going to tape your mouth shut," Buri laughed at her second in command.

"Aww, Buri you'd never do such a horrible thing!" he laughed and returned to his friends.

"Buri you know the Riders have so much in common with the Own," Kel grinned when she saw Buri squirm in her seat.

"We have absolutely nothing in common with those brutes!" Buri laughed.

Kel raised her eyebrow, the same wow Raoul did, arguing Buri's reply.

"Okay so maybe we have a little bit in common with them, but we definitely eat better than they do." she replied, "At least when Evin isn't cooking."

"I heard that!"

Buri responded by raising her hand in the air and just waving it, like she were attempting half-heartedly to hit an annoying fly.

* * *

The days slowly trickled by, they woke on the ninth morning only a few miles from the River Drell. By midday the group had reached a village with a port. Ferries frequently docked here and traveled up an down this river fairly quickly. They paid the fee to board with their mounts and settled into what would be, now, a relaxing trip.

"I haven't been on a ferry like this in years." Buri told Kel as they stood at the railing, "Except last time I was going in the opposite direction."

Kel gave her questioning look, asking her silently to indulge on her statement.

"You see before King Jonathon's coronation, Alanna went off in search of the Dominion Jewel. Something about proving she was worthy of her title as King's Champion. Anyways she met me and Thayet along the way, she thought that she could bring Thayet back to marry Jon. It wasn't like Thayet had anything else to do. So anyways Alanna retrieved the Dominion Jewel and met the Shang Dragon-"

"Wait, I never knew Alanna had met the Shang Dragon," Kel interrupted as a child might.

"Oh, well, Alanna didn't only meet the Shang Dragon she had a bit of a fling with him on the side too." Buri laughed at the look on Kel's face, "You've never heard the ballads about the Dragon and Lioness fighting together?"

Kel shook her incredulously.

"Well there are quite a few, but back to the main story. Alanna retrieved the Dominion Jewel and we made it back down to the port in I think it was Tyra. That's where Raoul found us anyways. So off we went on a ferry back to Tortall, Alanna, Raoul, me, Thayet, Liam and Faithful. Alanna was green the whole trip, and had managed to lose quite a bit of weight by the time we were on solid ground."

* * *

Kel watched the scenery pass in the pre-dawn light, it was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. She could see the cool purples and pinks wrapped around the snow capped mountains. It was a sight that she'd never seen before, but it was like floating in a picture.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" asked a deep voice from behind her.

Kel turned to see who the speaker was, "It's Evin right?"

"Yup," he grinned.

"So how long have you been with the Riders?"

"Hmmm, well it's been almost fifteen years now, give or take a few."

"I almost decided to go for the Riders, when Wyldon sent the letter saying I was to be on probation for a year. But I decided that if I had to wait five years I might as well try for knighthood and if I got kicked out I go for the Riders later."

Evin nodded and listened to everything Kel told him. The two traded stories until the sun was finally clear of the distant mountains. Miri found the two sitting in the same place and dragged them both away towards the ships galley for breakfast. She lectured the two of them, telling them that if they fainted and fell over the railing because of poor sustenance that Buri would have their heads.

Kel found Miri quite amusing, she seemed to have almost the traits as Neal did. Though Miri seemed much more sane than Neal.

"Miri I highly doubt Buri our heads," Evin laughed as his friend dragged them through the passages, "It's more likely she'd have yours."

Miri rolled her eyes as they entered the galley where Buri was already ordering breakfast.

* * *

By the end of the eleventh day the group had finally rested their feet on solid ground. Kel had butterflies in her stomach, she'd see Dom soon and unfortunately Neal as well. It was only a few miles to the army post, but the sky was growing dark an they were in unknown territory.

"So, do we stay or do we go?" Buri asked her group.

"Does it matter, I mean we could go and most likely get lost, or we could stay and be eaten by bugs." Evin replied nonchalantly.

"So?"

"We might as well go, get the horses legs used to solid ground again."

"Thank you," Buri replied turning around and kicking her pony into a trot.

* * *

Dom stepped glumly onto the ferry platform, it had barely been a week but he missed Kel more than ever before. He felt horrible for telling her to stay away from the fighting. Now he had to put up with his squad's refusal of speaking to him, because he'd had Kel ordered from the fighting.

"Buck up Dom, we'll be there soon enough and you'll have enough fighting to keep your thoughts in line." Raoul said patting him on the shoulder as he led his mount aboard.

Days passed by and with each moment Dom felt more and more guilty. All he did was eat, sleep and gaze at the passing scene. He had no idea that Kel had seen the same scenery only days before himself. Raoul was the only one that would talk to him, but it was very rare.

The Drell branched off into one of it's tributaries taking the Own into Tusaine and towards the army post. None of them knew of the surprise that was awaiting them.

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Author's Note: Once again I'm sorry that it's taken so long, but I had a bunch of assignments and tests, then I went away for a week to Ottawa where I couldn't take my beautiful computer. But now I've updated so you don't need to be angry anymore. I want at least five reviews or something bad will happen to Neal.


	15. Go HOME

**Author's Note: I'm BAAA-AAACK, from that incredibly long absence, which I totally apologize for, what's it been March, April, May….so only eight months.**

**P.S. Thanks for your awesome review Emealin! **

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Chapter Fifteen – Go HOME

The Rider group slipped into the army post quietly. They'd stumbled upon in the pre-dawn light. As it so happened a few Riders had been on sentry duty and seen them. They'd signaled the others and told them not to worry about their visitors.

"So Kel, what do you say we go say hello to our dominating husbands?" Buri whispered trying no to laugh at the same time.

"I think we should wait a little bit longer, maybe a small prank will show them the error in their ways." Kel replied with a mischievous smile.

* * *

A few hours later Kel and Buri had successfully destroyed their husband's rooms. Well destroyed may not have been the best word. They had definitely feminized the rooms. The two men wouldn't know what hit them, if they refused to bring their wives to battle, then their wives would send along a touch of feminine flare to them.

"I do believe we have accomplished our goal, and I'd say in just enough time as well. Look at the window." Buri murmured to Kel.

Raoul and his men were just wandering into the camp. They looked tired, grumpy and dirty from a long trip. They were about to see how much grumpier a certain commander and sergeant could get.

Kel and Buri crammed themselves into the privy; they didn't want to miss the men's reactions. They left the door a crack open, just enough for the two of them to peer out. About ten minutes later they heard the door to the room open, a pair of saddles bags were dropped to the ground. The two women watched Raoul walk passed the privy door. Suddenly his footsteps stopped.

"What in Mithros' name?!" Raoul cried as he realized that his room did not look like a typical warrior's.

Kel and Buri couldn't help it; they burst into laughter, falling out of the privy. Raoul stood there gawking at them. How on earth did they get there, not to mention the fact that they'd left the palace after the Own had.

"GO HOME!" Raoul bellowed, shaking the shelves on the wall.

Kel and Buri stopped laughing and looked at Raoul. They turned and looked at each other, then continued to roll on the floor laughing.

Dom popped his head into his commander's room to see if their rooms compared in the slightest. It was unmistakable, someone had messed up there rooms and judging by the two women that were rolling on floor crying from laughing so hard, he had a pretty good idea who'd done it.

"What on earth are they doing here?" Dom asked Raoul.

"I don't know but they are going home," Raoul yelled, "RIGHT NOW!"

Buri and Kel finally stopped laughing, tears falling down their faces.

"We're not going anywhere," Buri told her husband.

"Oh yes you are!"

"You can't tell us what to do! We're adults remember!"Kel laughed, watching both men's faces turn red.

"Keladry, as your commanding officer I command you to go home!" Raoul ordered.

"You can't tell her what to do Raoul, I'm her officer at the moment," Buri let a sly smile spread across her face, "And being my husband does not give you the right to command me where to go."

"Buri, Thayet ordered you to stay out of the fighting for the next year! She'll have your head for this," Raoul cried.

"You're right, Thayet ordered me not to fight, but she said nothing about traveling anywhere," Buri grinned cheekily, "Just like you never set any limits on Kel's traveling."

* * *

Dom and Raoul tried every possible argument they could come up to get their wives to leave, but nothing seemed to work. One morning Raoul woke to the sound of puking. He found his wife sitting in the privy looking unhappy.

"Are you okay love?" Raoul asked pulling her hair back from her face.

Her answer was to continue vomiting. When she finally managed to stop, Raoul picked her up and carried her down to the infirmary, against her wishes of course.

"Neal?"

Neal popped his head out of his office, "What can I do for you my lord?"

"Can you check Buri, I found her vomiting this morning when I woke up and I'm a bit worried about her."

* * *

Kel was sitting in the mess hall with Dom's squad listening them plan their latest prank on their sergeant. That's where Dom found her, he looked a little worried and Kel prepared herself for another mental battle.

"Kel, Raoul wants to talk to you," he whispered to her.

Kel eyed him suspiciously. Dom looked upset, not with her but with himself.

Kel said goodbye to the squad and followed Dom to Raoul's quarters, which had been defeminized a week ago. They arrived to the set of rooms where the door stood ajar. Buri was sitting in a comfortable chair scowling. Raoul was packing her bags.

"Thank you Dom," Raoul told his sergeant when he noticed that they both had arrived, "Buri are you going to tall her or shall I?"

"I'll do it!" Buri snapped, "Kel, I'm pregnant."

Kel stared at Buri, "Are you sure?"

"Neal confirmed it this morning," Raoul said as he finished with Buri's saddle bags, "Kel I know you're not going to like this assignment but I want you to escort Buri back to the palace, and if you so choose to return after that, you can."

Kel sighed, she knew that he was right. Kel agreed to it and went to pack her own things. Dom followed her to their rooms.

"Kel, I'm sorry for ordering you to not fight, I know it was wrong of me," he said ashamed.

Kel closed the door behind him and hugged Dom. She kissed him passionately, feeling how surprised he was. After the shock wore off, Dom kissed back. They were both quite upset when someone interrupted them by knocking on the door.

"Dom? Kel? I know you're in there, open up!" Neal called.

Dom was about to reply when Kel put a finger to his lips. He smirked and continued to kiss his wife. Kel was leaning against the wall next to the door, Dom's hands on either side of her head when Neal entered.

"Gahh! What are you two doing! Oh my poor eyes," Neal cried when he saw why they hadn't answered the door.

"Meathead, next you shouldn't open the door then," Dom told his cousin and kissed Kel on the nose, "and I do believe we are married, we can kiss each other."

"Just think about Neal, we've done worse," Kel murmured knowing what she as going to say would make Neal cringe, "How do you think Chris and Aiden came to be?"

Neal practically stopped breathing and Dom was laughing his head off. Kel shoved Neal out into the hallway, wiggled her fingers and shut the door in his face.

"Now where were we?" she asked with a smirk.

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The next morning Kel, Buri and Group Askew set off back up the road towards port. Kel waved to Dom, and Buri scowled as Raoul tried to wave to her. Neither wanted to go, but they both knew that it was the best idea.

"Cheer up Buri," Kel told the older woman, "When Raoul comes home you can fend the baby off on him and show him how much fun babies really are."

Buri couldn't help herself she had to laugh. It would be quite amusing to see her giant of a man holding a baby that would practically fit in the palm of his hand.

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Author's Note: So what did you think? Good, bad, crappy? Tell me in your review, and maybe I'll update again within the next week, you don't want to wait another eight months to find out what kind of reception the two get when they return to Corus, or what Buri finds out.

**REVIEW!!**


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